rhythm of love
by meatballs in the impala
Summary: AU. They believe in music, the way that some people believe in fairytales. Minato/Kushina.
1. Hey You

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>_august rush  
><em>**warnings **language  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>i do not own naruto  
><strong>notice <strong>i deleted this story due to copyright infringerment. it contained copyrighted musical lyrics, which is against the guidelines of the site. so, this is the edited version, lyrics-free.

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><p><strong>1. Hey You<strong>

_"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence."_

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><p>Minato whistled a tune as he walked to the park. His guitar bag was hung over his shoulders and his hands were stuffed in his worn-out jeans' pockets. The park was only a five minute walk from his apartment, but he usually made it in ten minutes, because he liked to stop walking every now and then to admire the beauty of the trees and flowers planted in the park.<p>

When he reached his spot in the park – a bench next to a small fountain, the blond man sat down and took out his guitar. Softly, he ran his hands through the strings, letting a sweet sound emerge from the instrument. He loved his guitar. But mostly, he loved music. It was his only way out of his monotonous life.

Minato was about to start playing one of his own songs on his guitar – _Avalon_, when his baby blue eyes came to rest on a figure resting with her back against a giant tree across from him. She had bright red hair tied in a high ponytail with a few lone crimson strands falling on her face gently. She was looking through some papers, while a guitar lied in her lap.

With a bright smile, Minato stood up, picked up his guitar and its bag and started walking towards the young woman with the guitar. It made him happy to see other people visiting the park and playing the guitar in public, not in the least afraid to express what they felt. They world definitely needed more people like him. By the time he reached her spot, she was playing a soft tone on the guitar. He grinned when a pair of magnetizing hazel eyes locked their gaze with his.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

Minato nodded towards her guitar. "What're you playing?"

"Pink Floyd's '_Wish You Were Here'_, why?" she answered.

"Wanna try a duet?"

The young woman's eyes drifted from Minato's face to the guitar on his hands and she finally nodded. "Sure, why not? Suit yourself."

Minato nodded in return as a 'thanks' and sat down across from her, placing his guitar bag on the grass and his guitar on his lap. Exchanging a brief nod, the two individuals stroke their guitars' strings.

Minato let her take the leading guitarist's role, playing the right chords with a concentrated look on her face. He joined her soon, backing her playing while stroking his guitar tenderly. Sometimes he didn't think of it as an inanimate object, but an extension of himself.

The two young guitarists' voices came out in unison, singing the wonderful lyrics of the song softly. Minato loved Pink Floyd, and especially this song, for it held so many emotions and meanings behind the lyrics and soft background music.

The song ended with a completely synchronized solo. The two young adults smiled at each other, satisfied by their co-operation's product. Even though they had just met, chemistry sure existed.

"I've got to admit – you've got potential," Minato said excitedly.

"Thanks. I can say the same thing about you," the woman replied.

Minato grinned. "I think I have something more than just potential. I'm the upcoming musician of the decade, y' know?"

She rolled her eyes. "How modest."

"Just wait and see. One day, my name will be all over the news," Minato rambled.

"Only if you murder the President," she argued sarcastically.

Minato frowned but quickly shook it off and smirked. "And here, you just lost the privilege of having a free pass in my future concerts."

She rolled her eyes again and stuffed some papers in her guitar case. "Like I have any time for concerts."

"Quite the busy one, aren't you?" Minato teased.

"Well, yeah. I'm studying art," she answered truthfully.

Minato scratched the back of his head. "So, you… paint stuff?"

She chuckled. "Simply put, yes."

"Cool," he said with a grin. "Isn't it a little expensive to attend an art's school?"

"Quite. But my parents cover my expenses. Say, what about you?"

"I'm the less fortunate fella. I'm working as a photographer in the _Daily Notion_, but only temporarily, until I become a famous rock star," Minato explained with pride.

The woman looked interested. The boy sure had some goals in his life. "Do you write songs?"

"Hell yeah! Wanna hear?" Minato asked eagerly. He was looking out for someone to give a listen to the song he came up lately. When the woman shrugged, Minato's hands hit the chords.

The particular song wasn't his best work so far, but it was the first that came in mind. Years later, when recalling their first meeting, he would frown at the fact that the first song he had ever played for her was a break-up song. It almost seemed like they were doomed to break up one day.

However, the girl watched him closely, mesmerized by the way he stroked the strings and mouthed the lyrics as if they were engraved in his brain. In a way, they were.

As soon as Minato's hands played the last chord, she found her jaw almost dropping on the floor. The song was simply astonishing. The melody, the lyrics, his confident style of playing – it was all unique.

"Whoa," she muttered, the excitement clear in her voice. "That was… wonderful."

"Well, I guess that's gotta be worth something since I'm self-taught," Minato said proudly.

The young woman looked puzzle headed. "Wait – you mean you never took guitar lessons and you're this good?"

"I've taken about three to four lessons as a kid, just to learn the basics. You?"

"Two years' lessons," she said and looked at the ground, feeling suddenly ashamed of herself.

"It's fine," he said. "Don't go comparing yourself to me. All I live for is music. I breathe, eat and sleep music. It's in my blood."

"Well, it's a little embarrassing that I've taken so many lessons and still, I'm not nearly as good as you. You're a natural."

Minato waved his hand. "It's all about practise. You spend time with the guitar?"

"As much as I can. I've tried writing some songs, too, but…"

Minato interrupted her. "That's great! Let's hear them."

She looked at his with a puzzled expression. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah! Aw, come on! It's not like I'm gonna judge you or anything!" he said when he saw her hesitation. "We're just two creative minds sharing our inspiration!"

She sighed deeply. "Fine. But if you laugh, I'll smack you."

Minato held his hands up in a defensive position. "Okay! I promise, I won't laugh!"

She nodded with a smirk and softly stroked the strings of her acoustic guitar.

Minato concentrated hard on the way her hands tensed as she played her song. She wasn't feeling it the way she should have. She was all tense and focused solely on her fingers as she played, careful not to make any mistakes and embarrass herself in front of the talented stranger. He knew it since then that she was a perfectionist.

The song itself wasn't bad. It was about relationships, naturally, and the way that she was the one to do the chase and enjoy it, while she was never a relationship kind of person. She had commitment issues, and while she loved to pursue the person she was into, when it came to finally settling down with them, she backed away.

Minato was so caught up in trying to interpret the lyrics that he didn't realise that the song had ended a few seconds ago. His lips pulled back in a grin though, as soon as he'd reached a conclusion.

The woman looked up from her guitar to Minato with an expecting look, to find the expression on his face rather satisfying. The grin on his lips was evidence enough that he enjoyed her song. She smiled at him in a gentle way.

"Did you like it?" she asked expectantly.

Minato thought for a moment. "Will I get smacked, if I give some piece of advice?"

She laughed softly. "Go ahead."

He nodded. "Well, the song was very good; great match between the lyrics and the melody, though you _did_ miss a few chords," she shot him a glare, "but the problem is, you are too tense when you're playing."

She wasn't expecting that. "Excuse me?"

"The way you hold the guitar, the way you play… it shows how tense you are. If you want to become better, you have to relax. If you keep being too tight, you won't make any progress. You have to _feel _the music."

She sighed deeply. "I guess you're right."

"What? No smacking?"

She raised her eyebrow suggestively. "Masochistic much?"

"Nah. Just kidding," Minato said with a bright grin.

Silence fell between the two young adults. Minato ran his hands through his guitar's strings lovingly and the woman couldn't help but notice. He was protective of his guitar. He loved the instrument like a living being. She looked around to see children playing, old people sitting on benches and talking, young couples walking around holding hands… The park was a beautiful place to visit, especially in spring, when you could find people of every age. It always brought a smile on her lips.

Minato noticed the smile on the woman's face and smirked. "So, you come here often?" he asked in a fake flirty tone.

She mentally groaned. The last thing she wanted was him to start using pick up lines and try to get in her pants. And he seemed so nice until now. "Okay, I think it's time to leave." She made a move to stand up, but his laugh stopped her. She raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Did it actually sound like a pick-up line?" He stopped until his laughter died down. "Sorry. I was serious, though. Do you visit the park often?"

Glad that he wasn't trying to hit on her, she said, "As much as my schedule allows me. With the college and all, I don't have much time for walks."

"Hey, whatever happens, don't give up music. You're talented."

She felt a small blush rising on her cheeks. "Thanks."

He smiled gently. "And by the way – I'm Minato Namikaze."

"Kushina Uzumaki."

They shook their hands and smiled at each other. Kushina stood up soon after and gathered her stuff.

"You leaving?" Minato asked. He was hoping to spend more time with her.

"Yeah, I have a lot of homework to do. College's a nightmare," she said with a roll of her eyes. Kushina slung her guitar bag over her right shoulder and looked at Minato. "Will I meet you again?"

"Can't get enough of me, huh?" he asked teasingly.

Kushina blushed and muttered _'moron'_ under her breath. "I have some more songs I'd like you to check out. Plus, you seem like an interesting person. We might have a lot in common."

"I'm sure we do. I mean, you love music and that's good enough for me," Minato said with a grin. "Anyways, I'm hanging out here every day, unless it rains."

Kushina nodded. "Cool. So, see you around then?"

"See you around then," he replied.

With a bright smile, Kushina took off for her apartment, feeling a little light-hearted. Minato was a very interesting guy with humor and was also quite mature. She couldn't wait to spend more time with him and get to know him better.

Minato watched the flame-haired girl walk away and disappear into the distance. He lay down on the grass with his hands tucked behind his head. Kushina sure was an attractive person and a very interesting one nevertheless. Since he saw her holding the guitar, Minato knew she was something special. He found himself smirking when he thought that now there was one more reason to visit the park daily.

That day was the first day in a wonderful relationship between two young souls, very different from one another, but, at the same time, similar like two drops of water.


	2. Here Comes Santa Claus

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>none  
><strong>warnings <strong>language, fluff  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>i do not own naruto  
><strong>notice <strong>although the lyrics are removed, the songs are still there. i'm not going to say which songs i'm using, so i'd like you to figure them out. some will be pretty obvious, some others...not so much. if you find which ones i'm using, give them a listen!

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><p><strong>2. Here Comes Santa Claus<strong>

_"You be the anchor that keeps my feet on the ground. I'll be the wings that keep your heart in the clouds."_

* * *

><p>They met again the next day and the day after that. <em>And<em> the day after that. In a matter of days, Minato and Kushina had become the best of buddies. A month after their first meeting, they were inseparable. Their love for music bound them together in a friendship strong like the bonds between family members. They were so different, yet at the same time, so much alike.

Kushina had tried to make more free time out of her busy schedule, just to hang out with Minato as much as she could. Minato, on the other hand, was programming his daily schedule based on Kushina. Wake up, call Kushina, go to work, have lunch with Kushina, go to the park with Kushina, play guitar with Kushina, walk Kushina to her apartment, go home and sleep. He was happy that he had found her. She was someone special, a person with who he could share his thoughts freely, without being afraid she would judge him.

Deep inside, Minato realized, he had deep feelings for the red-haired girl – feelings deeper than friendship. He didn't know exactly what it was, but he was starting to think it was something like love. And the more time he spent with her, all his doubts faded away. Kushina was special and unique, and he wanted to be more than friends with her. Minato had never been a strong believer of "love at first sight" but a voice in his head told him that he was experiencing it.

However, he wasn't sure whether to try and make a move on her – Kushina may was special, but she was _scary_ nonetheless. Being close friends with her, even for a short while, he had witnessed her wrath. Once, they had an argument – nothing important, Minato couldn't even remember what it was about – and she had gotten_really_ mad at him. Long story short, it earned him a fat lip and an ashtray he owned was left lying on the floor, broken into a thousand pieces, an innocent victim of Kushina's rage. Heck, he was a guy, he had gotten in many fights in school, had faced bullies and had his own share of trouble in life but this was something else. For once in his life, Minato felt actually scared. So the best option was to never make her mad again.

This was the main reason why Minato was afraid to make a move on Kushina. He didn't want to get a black eye – or a broken rib – from a woman. It would be a blow in his male pride and dignity. But he _was_ determined to have a talk to her, when he got the chance. But for now, he would hold his horses. Maybe Kushina would give him a sign one of these days that she liked him more than a friend, and then, perhaps, he would confess.

Perhaps.

Minato was sitting on his couch, holding his guitar in his lap and waiting for Kushina to show up. The sun had already set and he didn't quite like the idea of her being out in the streets alone. She could defend herself, he knew it better than anyone, but he didn't want her to _have_ to.

It was an unusually cold evening in the first days of October. He had put on a black hoodie with the logo "No Music, No Life" on it, and a pair of worn out jeans. His blonde hair was unruly and spiky, but he knew well enough that any effort to try and put it in order would be in vain. His hair seemed to have a brain on its own, somehow.

Glancing at the clock, he sighed. Kushina had said that she had to give in a project to her Art's teacher and then she would drop by at his apartment. Tired of waiting, Minato realized that only a song would help him take his mind off her. He placed his hands on the guitar's chords.

On second thought, though, this was entirely not the case, because every song reminded him of her. This particular one had popped into his mind the previous night, after walking Kushina back to her apartment. The lyrics were clearly about her. He called her his "wonderwall", someone who made him happy and brightened his every day, and for whom he reserved a special place in his heart.

He had to admit that since he met Kushina, his inspiration had skyrocketed. He couldn't stop writing new songs, producing new melodies. His mind was constantly forming new ideas for songs and he was almost running out or paper to write down his lyrics. He would have never imagined that having a love interest would inspire him so much. Life sure was weird for an upcoming musician.

He looked up to the door when he heard the doorbell. His lips pulled up to a bright smile and he went to answer the door. He flung it open, to reveal the beautiful face of Kushina. She had her guitar bag on her back and a folder in her hands. Minato stepped aside to let her in. Kushina sat down on the seat Minato had left earlier and he took a seat across from her on an armchair, his blue eyes never leaving her form and his smile never ceasing.

Kushina raised an eyebrow at the smiling blond. "What?"

"What do you mean _what_?"

"You're staring at me," she pointed out.

"Am not," Minato told her.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are_too_."

"Am **not**."

"_Whatever_," Kushina gave up with a growl. Minato's smile turned into a smirk. "You're weird."

"Takes one to know one."

Kushina sighed and threw her arms in the air. "Seriously, what is your problem?"

"Me?" He pointed at himself. "I have absolutely _no_ problem."

"Sure you don't," Kushina said sarcastically. "Did you smoke weed or something?"

Minato scowled. "Here I am, just trying to be nice and you're telling me I'm a junkie."

"Well, you're starting to give me the creeps," she explained.

"Relax, Kushina, I'm fine. I just happen to be on a very good mood today," Minato said.

Kushina seemed interested. She leaned forward. "And why would that be?"

He grinned. "I wrote another song."

Her almond eyes widened. "_Another?_ Minato, you've written like ten different songs in the past three days! Where do you get all this inspiration from?"

He shrugged. "You."

Now, Kushina was not the girly type. She didn't like wearing skirts, heels or make-up and painting her nails. She rarely wore jewellery; her wrists were usually covered by wristbands and she always wore a pendant with the peace sign on her neck. She was far from being a sweet girl. Therefore, she didn't blush or giggle. So, the bright red color that painted her cheeks after Minato's words sunk in was a first.

_"Me?"_ Kushina said while blushing. Minato had an effect on her that no one else had.

He nodded, trying not to feel too proud and mushy for making her blush. "You inspire me."

"Um, thanks?" she said, unsure of what else to say. She quickly shoved off her nervousness, though. After all, she had come to his place for a reason. "Minato," she said firmly.

"Kushina," Minato replied with the same serious tone, though she could see he was faking it.

"I have two things to tell you."

Minato raised a blond eyebrow. Two things? Suddenly, he felt blood rush into his brain, and his heart starting to beat faster. What if she was going to tell him she liked him? Or what if she was going to tell him she wanted him to get any idea out of his mind, and that nothing could ever happen between them? He began to feel fear. He didn't know if his poor heart would take rejection from her. He gulped silently and said in a steady voice, "Go ahead."

Kushina nodded. "Well, firstly, I have finished the song I was working on."

Minato felt like slapping himself, but decided against it. "What song?"

She rolled her eyes. "_Umbrella_."

"The one you've been trying to finish for like, three weeks?"

She nodded again and smiled. "Wanna hear it?"

It was Minato's turn to roll his eyes. "Do you seriously expect me to answer?"

Kushina stuck her tongue at him and picked up his guitar, feeling too bored to unpack her own. She took a deep breath and started playing.

Minato was listening closely to the lyrics as she sang. He wondered if there was a slight chance she had written this song for him, or at least she was thinking of him while writing it. She had started working on it soon after they met, that's what she had told him. Was it just a coincidence that she had finished it now that they had come close or was there something more than meets the eye?

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize Kushina had stopped playing and was staring at him expectantly, waiting for him to voice his opinion on her song. She valued Minato's words more than anyone else's. To Kushina, any music professional was shit against Minato. She had never seen someone so devoted to music like him before. When he remained as still as a statue, she threw a pillow at him, snapping him out of his train of thoughts.

"What was that for?" he asked, throwing the pillow back at her.

She caught it with ease. "I thought you died in there or something."

The blonde man shook his head. "Just thinking…"

"Thinking? _You?_ Ha, that's a first!" she joked.

Minato frowned in mock hurt. "Kushina. Always _so_ tactful."

"Shut up, blondie." They had a glaring contest for a minute. "So…"

"So?" Minato repeated.

"What do you think of the song?" she said quickly, tired of waiting for his brain to start working properly. If it ever would, for that matter.

"It was really nice, though I think it is _lame_ that it took you three weeks to finish it," he said in a playful tone.

"Well, not all of us have _your_ inspiration, Minato," Kushina tried to sound offended, though failing miserably.

Minato smiled. "Face it, hun. You _can't_ be me."

She rolled her eyes and leaned back on the couch. "Like I would ever _want_ to be you, bimbo."

Minato frowned. "I'm _not_ a bimbo."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Minato."

He groaned and fell back on his chair. "You're so mean."

"I know," she said, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Now, the second thing I wanted to tell you," she tried to put on a serious face, but the excitement running in her veins didn't let her. She was desperate to see Minato's expression when he heard what she had to say.

Minato, though, appeared to have forgotten about it. "Oh, and what would that be?" He tried to block his previous thoughts of Kushina confessing to him.

Kushina took out some papers from the folder she was holding when she came to his place, and handed them to Minato. His eyes drifted from the papers to her, back to the papers and then back to Kushina. A blonde eyebrow quirked up and got lost in the mass of yellow hair covering his forehead.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Can't you _read?_"

He shrugged casually. "I can, but why don't you just tell me and save me the trouble?"

Kushina let out a deep sigh. So much for the element of surprise. Damn Minato and his blonde head. "Well, remember when you told me you wanted to become a famous musician?"

He nodded. "I tell you this every day."

"Yeah, well, remember when you said that the first step you had to take to become famous was to sing in a radio station?" Another nod. Kushina sweat dropped. "Seriously, haven't you figured it out, yet?"

She watched him as his azure eyes widened and his lips parted in shock. He tore his gaze from her and looked over the papers to see the program of a radio station. Examining closely the details, he saw that next to a radio show's name, was _his_ name as a guest. Kushina couldn't tell what was going through the man's head. Frankly, she wasn't even sure he had comprehended what was happening. He was a blonde, after all. Sometimes, she thought he was speaking a different language.

Minato looked up at her and placed the papers on the coffee table in front of him. _"How?"_ he whispered in disbelief.

Kushina smiled. "The program's broadcaster, Inoichi Yamanaka, is a family friend. Close friend, actually," she started. "After all you've said to me about your dream, I figured out I could help you out. I did a few calls and persuade him that your songs rock and that his audience would love them, so, after some thinking, he agreed to invite you to his show. I practically had to kiss his ass and–" she was cut off suddenly by Minato's warm lips on hers.

Kushina could swear that bloody heart of hers stop right there. Her brain shut off, too, leaving her with eyes opened wide in shock. She hadn't even seen him stand up and nearing her! Before she could embrace the events and decide on how to deal with the current situation she was in, Minato pulled away with a grin that put the city lights to shame. Minato hugged her to his chest and chuckled.

"I _love_ you, Kushina! No one has _ever_ done something like this for me! This is _huge_, I tell you! Thanks!" he exclaimed happily, placing his hands on her shoulders to look in her eyes. "I don't know what to say!"

Kushina, who had somehow gotten out of the trance Minato's kiss had put her in, gave him a small smile, feeling her cheeks flush for the second time that evening. _'Well, your kiss said enough already...'_she thought.

"You're…welcome," the red-haired girl whispered softly.

"We have to celebrate this! Come on, I'll treat you ramen!" he exclaimed going to grab his jacket.

Kushina's brain came to focus again and she shook her head to clear her thoughts. It was pretty late for dinner and she should be heading home. She hadn't planned to stay over at Minato's for so long. Truthfully, all she wanted to do was hit the sack. Also, the broadcast was at 11am, and she doubted Minato had checked it. He had to go to sleep early in order to be able to wake up and be at the radio station in time. Minato was _not_ a morning person.

"Minato," she called.

He peeked his head from his bedroom door. "You called?"

Kushina nodded. "Look, it's pretty late. I don't think we can go for ramen."

Minato joined her in the living room, his jacket still nowhere to be found. "But we _need_ to celebrate this," he objected.

"I know – we can do it tomorrow, after the show. Besides, do you know what time the broadcast airs?"

Minato scratched the back of his head. "In the afternoon?"

Kushina sighed. "It's at 11 o'clock in the _morning_, and they want you to be there an hour earlier."

"Seriously?"

She nodded. "You better stay in and have a good night's sleep. And call your boss to tell him you're not going tomorrow."

"I have a day off, anyways. Are you coming?" he asked expectantly.

"I have classes in the morning. I don't know if I'll make it," she explained.

Minato pouted. "I wanted you to be at the studio with me."

She smiled apologetically. "I know, I'm sorry," she paused. "I got it," she spoke again after a moment's thinking, earning a confused look from Minato. Her ability to come up with ideas on the spot was fascinating, yet it frightened him at the same time. "Here's the thing, I'll try to finish up with my classes early and I'll drop by at the studio to pick you up so we can go for ramen next, okay?" she finished her thought.

Minato pretended to think about it for a minute. "Promise?"

Kushina chuckled. He was such a child. "Promise."

The blonde grinned again. Kushina put on her jacket and picked up her guitar from the couch. Minato walked her to the door and they shared a hug before she left, after ensuring him she didn't need him to walk her home. She had to threaten him in order to be convincing and, in the end, Minato gave up trying to change her mind. He was kind of afraid of her, after all.

She took the way to her apartment, digging her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket. She was glad she had made him happy. Minato deserved to become a famous vocalist/guitarist. His songs were amazing. His guitar playing was amazing. _He_ was amazing. The thought that she may had helped him start his career made a warm smile appear on her lips. However, some other thoughts troubled her.

What was the kiss all about? Did he feel something more than friendship towards her? Did he kiss her on the spur of the moment? Did he mean it when he said he loved her, when only a few minutes ago, he had told her the opposite?

Those questions troubled Kushina's mind on the way home. Deep inside, she hoped Minato was having the same feelings for her, like she did towards him. She may have known the blonde a month or so, but she didn't need to know him for years to figure out that he was a nice, caring and ambitious young man. During the time they spent together, she realized how simple and adorable he was. Minato was still a child in the heart, something that made him cherish everything in his life – every single moment, every little thing.

On the other hand, she was the one whose feet and mind were always on the ground. She was sharp, punctual and strict when it came to work and school, in contrast with Minato, who always stood her up in their meetings and never showed up on time for work. Why he hadn't been fired yet was beyond her. Minato had said that he was the best photographer they could hire, so firing him was absolutely out of the question. The blonde knew exactly how important he was and used it to his advantage.

Kushina reached her apartment and changed into her pyjamas the moment she stepped in. After a few minutes, she was wrapped in the cotton sheets of her double bed, craving for a good night's sleep and trying to take the blonde out of her head. She would think of how to deal with the situation tomorrow. So she drifted off to sleep, keeping only in mind the memory of his lips on hers.

Meanwhile, Minato was lying on his bed, too, having a weird mix of emotions in his stomach. There was anxiety, excitement and joy for tomorrow's radio broadcasting (the only bad about it was that he would have to wake up early to decide which songs he'd play in the show), along with gratitude and love towards Kushina, the girl who, now he was sure, was the girl of his dreams. He wasn't expecting her to do something like that for him, a person whom she knew for only a month. That was how he knew she was special. Kushina was generous and caring towards the people she cared about, Minato figured.

Then, he found himself thinking of his own actions that evening. All his worries and restraints had faded out when she had told him about the radio show. Out of excitement, he had kissed her. She hadn't pushed him away or kicked him in the gut for trying something like that on her, which gave him some hope that she had romantic feelings for him. Minato went to sleep with a genuine smile on his lips that night, thinking about what the future might held for him, his career and his relationship with Kushina. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling it would be alright.

After all, he had a goal in his mind, a guitar in his hand, and a temperamental red-head there for him in every step he took.


	3. The Trick Is To Keep Breathing

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>daughtry's live performance in a radio station, _i am legend, across the universe  
><em>**warnings **language, fluff  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>i do not own naruto  
><strong>notice <strong>i love inoichi. :D

* * *

><p><strong>3. The Trick Is To Keep Breathing<strong>

"_Love is walking a thousand miles to find someone that has been standing right beside you all along."_

* * *

><p>Minato was not the kind of person to back down and give up. He was a fighter. He always fought for his beliefs and thoughts and dreams, and no one could ever make him change his mind, if he had not decided upon it himself. He had a strong will and he was pretty much of a knucklehead, sometimes.<p>

But the moment he laid his eyes on the skyscraper that hosted the radio station, he began having second thoughts. And it was strange, because as far as he could remember, he had been waiting for an opportunity like this – a chance to show the world how good he was when it came to music – since forever and, still his feet were glued on the ground and his eyes on the tall building in front of him.

"You can do this," he whispered to himself repeatedly, in order to find the guts and walk through the door, but to no avail. His body was not responding to his mind's orders.

He must have been standing there for a good ten minutes when he felt something vibrate in his pocket. Fishing for his cell phone, he found it and checked the caller ID, which read Kushina's name. He sighed deeply and picked it up. Why was it that he always got the short end of the stick?

"_Hey! How are you? I have a __break between classes and I thought I should check up on you. You know, make sure you're not chickening out or anything. Are you there, yet?" _the loud voice of Kushina echoed in his ears.

Minato looked around nervously. "Technically."

He could so _see_ her raising an eyebrow. _"What do you mean 'technically'? You there or not?"_

"I'm outside the building," he explained.

"_Then what are you waiting for? Go in__side!"_

He sighed. "Kushina… I don't think I can do it."

He swore there was a vein popping on her forehead. _"What? Of course you can!"_

"No, I can't," he breathed desperately. "My feet are glued on the ground. I can't move."

There was an angry growl at the end of the line. _"Listen to me, Namikaze. I had to kiss Inoichi's ass for him to do me this favor and you're __**not**__ gonna throw this chance away just because you're having the cold feet. Go inside right now or I'll come there and you won't live to see tomorrow. Got it?"_

It was amazing how scary Kushina could be when she wanted to. When she was angry, she never yelled or raised her voice. She always spoke calmly and that was the scariest part. Her voice was deadly and it scared the hell out of him. The calm before the storm.

"You know, on a scale of one to ten – ten being the scariest thing in the _world_ – you're definitely a nine," Minato said out of the blue.

There was a pause on Kushina's part. _"Are you shitting me? What's a ten?"_

"Clowns," he replied without thinking.

"_Clowns?" _she repeated in disbelief. _"Clowns over __**me**__?"_

"I… I hate clowns," Minato confessed. "They totally freak me out."

Kushina sighed deeply. _"O-kay. Now that we had our daily dose of stupid, go in there and make me proud."_

Minato took a deep breath and smiled. "Roger that, Captain. Namikaze, out."

He faintly heard Kushina's laugh before hanging up and placing his cell back inside his pocket. After readjusting his guitar bag on his shoulder, Minato walked inside the enormous skyscraper, with his stress gone out the window. It was amazing how refreshing a conversation with Kushina could be for him, really.

Pause.

_Man_, he was so whipped.

* * *

><p>Inoichi Yamanaka was nothing like what Minato would have imagined him to be. First of all, he was Minato's age, give a year or two. He had something of a punkish style, with long dirty blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and a bandana covering his forehead. Honestly, he looked like he belonged in a hoverbike gang – it wouldn't surprise him if he did. His clothes were casual –T-shirt and jeans– and his wrists were covered with wristbands much like Kushina's. Minato thought that they could even become good friends at some point.<p>

However, Inoichi tended to be a little –_lot_– eccentric and extremely nosy most of the time. Minato later blamed it on the fact that he was an Aquarius. Then again, so was he –heck, Inoichi was a _day_ older– but, naturally, Minato was a special Aquarius. He was nothing like one – _Kushina_ was more of an Aquarius than he was. She often told him that his parents had forgotten his actual birthdate and chose a random one.

Another thing to know about Inoichi was that he was totally and completely _nuts_. Minato figured that much after spending a couple of hours with him the first time they met.

"Good mornin', folks! This is Inoichi Yamanaka, from Konoha Radio! But you already knew that, didn't you?" Inoichi yelled into his microphone, causing Minato to inch a little farther away from the man in question. "Well, here today we have a very special someone. A civilian of six feet, one hundred forty-five pounds, blond hair and blue eyes. And no, it's not Brad freakin' Pitt," he said and gave a disapproving snort. "What does everyone see in him, anyways?"

Inoichi shook his blond head, as if trying to remind himself what was the subject at hand. "Well, can you guess who we have here? I don't think you can. It's Minato Namikaze, the _Yellow Flash–_" Minato cringed at the nickname Inoichi used, "_–_a guy who claims to have the potential to become the musician of the decade," he introduced his guest with a small clapping of his hands, though Minato thought he noticed some sarcasm in his voice and the action in general.

"He's here to show us some good stuff, _his_ good stuff. But let's get on with it, shall we? So, Minato, what's up?" Inoichi asked him, finally remembering that he was indeed there with him.

"The sky, what else?" Minato replied slyly, suppressing a yawn. Kushina had told him that the way to Inoichi's heart is through smart conversations and money. And since he was kind of short on money, he should go for the first.

"See, folks? Yet another reason to love this guy!" Inoichi told his audience, and then turned back to his guest. "Let's see, then. Minato, how are ya feeling?"

"I'm good. It's an honor to be here, actually," he replied truthfully.

Inoichi scratched his unshaven beard. "Can you tell us a little about you? What got you into the music industry? Why do you want to become a musician? I wanna know everything."

Minato cleared his throat, deciding to not point out the fact that Inoichi wanted to know _little_ and _everything_ at the _same _time. "Well, I'm not exactly _in_ the music industry yet, since this is my first time on a live broadcasting. I first started playing music at the age of seven, when I first got my hands on a guitar. Ever since, I fell in love with it. Not a day goes by without me playing the guitar or working on a song. It's a part of my life now."

Inoichi nodded in interest. "I see. Say, why do you wanna be a famous musician?"

"Obviously, so I can share my songs, my ideals and my dreams with other people throughout the world," Minato answered. "It's not about money, it never was with me, I just feel like the world needs the music more than anything else, because that's what touches people's hearts. Music is the only thing that makes sense in an irrational world."

"You kinda lost me back there. Care to elaborate that thought?" Inoichi cut in.

Minato opted for a skeptical look. "Yeah, I have the perfect example. Think back to the '60s. If it weren't for The Beatles and their anti-war songs, people may have never actually risen up against the war in Vietnam and fought for peace. Or think about Bob Marley. If he hadn't come out and sang for the people, we would have never been introduced to the magic of reggae and we would have never actually realized how horrible racism is. He changed – and continues changing – people's lives all over the world with his songs."

As if remembering something, the blond man smiled. "One day he was scheduled to give a concert at a peace rally and gunmen came to his house and shot him down. Two days later, he walked on that stage and sang. Somebody asked him why. He said, _the people who are trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. How can I_?" Minato laced his fingers together. "You see, music is the only thing that can change the world, because it can change people. And I know that I'm never going to be like him because, hell, people like Marley come once in a lifetime, but I still think that through my songs, I can at least make people smile or keep them company when they're lonely," he finished with a grin.

Inoichi couldn't hide his own grin. "Man, you're getting too emotional for my taste. Anyway, I see you've done your research and I like that. Say, Namikaze, how many songs have you produced 'till now?"

Minato took the use of his last name a good sign. "I'd say about half a hundred but I'm not quite sure. I never really thought about actually counting them."

"That's a shitload of songs you got there," Inoichi said with a surprised look. Obviously, he didn't notice the man outside the record room – probably the director – yelling about the use of slang while on air. "How come you haven't gone public yet?"

Minato shrugged. "I guess I've never got the opportunity to do so."

"Cool. Now, I'd really like to hear those songs of yours and I bet you guys do as well," he said to the microphone once again. "If you please, Minato."

The blond musician nodded hastily and moved to a place of the room with various musical instruments, where laid his guitar and where a drummer and another guitarist were. Inoichi had told him that there would be others to back his playing and he was okay with it. He took ahold of his guitar and moved closer to the microphone that was placed in front of him. "The first song I'm gonna play is called _Kryptonite_ and it's about friendship and all the ups and downs of it," he explained with a smile and placed his hands on the strings.

* * *

><p>Kushina tapped her foot patiently against the marble floor of the radio station's lobby and drummed her fingers on her arms, waiting for Minato to finally show up. It was well past noon and she had hurried there after she finished up all her classes to find Minato and go out for lunch, just like she promised him. But now, she had been standing there for over twenty minutes and he still hadn't showed up.<p>

She had secretly listened to all of Inoichi's broadcasting during her classes through her headsets. It was a miracle how her Arts teacher hadn't caught her red-handed, but then again, he was in his own little world half of the time, admiring Raphael, Da Vinci and Michelangelo. He had a thing for the Italian Renaissance but, who could blame him?

Anyways, as Kushina listened to Minato singing – half of those songs, she had never heard before – she couldn't help but have a strong feeling that most of the songs were written about or referring to _her_. Of course, it was just a speculation, but _he_ had told her the night before that _she_ was the source of his inspiration – his muse. And the slight flutter of her heart made her want to think that they were all for her; that he felt this strong attraction towards her, like she did.

Either way, Kushina was going to set things clear with the blond man that very afternoon.

Just about when Kushina had decided that she had waited on the blond idiot for too long already and that he had _some _nerve to stand a lady up, the yellow mop that resides on Minato's head appeared inside the lobby. He seemed more casual than usual, with slightly ripped jeans, a t-shirt, his leather jacket and his guitar bag slung over his shoulder, but handsome nevertheless. She could see the relief in his face, along with an unusual cheerfulness, now that the show was over. Had she not waved madly at him, he would have surely walked out of the building without noticing her.

With a grin brighter than New York City's lights at night, he approached her. "Hey there! What are you doing here?" he greeted happily.

"I told you that I'd pick you up after the show," Kushina retorted with a shrug.

Minato stuffed his hands in his pockets as they began walking. "So, did you listen to the broadcast?" he asked with a nervousness she had never heard in his voice before.

Kushina nodded, ignoring the way his grin returned to his face. "All of it, with the risk of being thrown out of class."

Minato offered a laugh. "You really love me that much, don't you?" he said, ruffling her messy hair.

She glared at him – a sign to _get your paws off, Namikaze._ "Whatever. Where are we going, exactly?" she asked, even though she already knew where that road was leading to.

"I'm taking you out for ramen, where else?" Minato answered as if it was the most reasonable thing in the world and, thankfully, decided to keep his hands to himself from there on.

She chose not to say anything in return and focus on what had been terrorizing her mind since last night; confessing to Minato. She wasn't really sure she could do it, firstly, because she couldn't deal well with rejection – the most likely scenario was for him to go home with a broken rib – and secondly, because she was never the one to really care about boys and love and all that jazz, so she had absolutely no idea as to what she should actually tell him. Still, she hoped that, when the time would come, it would come to her naturally.

In contrast to their quiet way on the ramen restaurant Minato loved so much, their lunch there was vivid. The little ramen place, _Ichiraku_, was owned by an old man named Teuchi, who ran the place along with his daughter, Ayame. Minato had informed her that Teuchi was actually from Minato's hometown and, thus, knew him since he was a child. The old man had left the peaceful little town when Minato was around the age of sixteen, to open his current shop in the heart of New York. For such a small restaurant, Ichiraku had quickly gained a good reputation and it was never empty of hungry customers. And Minato was, naturally, a regular there.

Lunch went by smoothly, with Minato stating everything he had said during the broadcast again and, even though Kushina had listened to all of it already once, couldn't bring her heart to tell him to stop. His excitement was overwhelming, but somehow contagious. He spoke loudly and animatedly, trying to tell her everything without leaving anything out, and slurping down his noodles at the same time. Kushina ate her miso ramen in silence, listening to Minato's constant rambling, cutting in only when the situation called upon it and wondering how in the world was her companion able to talk and gobble down _four_ bowls of ramen at the same time.

This man was definitely from Venus – there was no doubt anymore.

* * *

><p>Afternoon found them strolling around in Central Park, the place they had first met and where their bond with each other was forged. Ever since their first meeting, the enormous park held high significance for both adults, in ways they didn't know how to describe. Most of their afternoons – whenever Minato's job and Kushina's school allowed it – would be spent in that park, just taking walks restlessly or playing the guitar and singing 'till the sun came down.<p>

However, that day, as they walked around the lake, a few drops of water started falling from over their heads and soon a downpour began. Minato and Kushina made a run towards the nearest playground and tucked themselves, albeit uncomfortably, in a bright vacant playhouse. Their clothes were slightly damp and clang to their bodies, and they unconsciously drew close to each other, seeking warmth through body heat.

They stood like that, watching the sudden rain fall and the few remaining occupants of the park run for a shelter, but mainly trying to _breathe_, until Minato spoke softly, breaking the silence that had formed between them. "Isn't it funny how we try to shelter ourselves from something as beautiful as the rain?"

"Well, it _does_ get you dirty, despite its beauty," Kushina pointed out playfully.

Minato frowned, though he didn't really mean it. "Here I am, trying to be poetic and you ruin it."

"I don't need you to be poetic, Minato," she said truthfully, looking into his eyes, the same eyes which were a window to his young soul. Leaning towards him slowly, she added, "I need you to be yourself, and only yourself. You don't have to impress me."

Minato was taken slightly aback from her words as well as her actions. "Kushina?"

Without further hesitation, Kushina pressed her lips against Minato's, earning a gasp from the man in question. She pulled away almost immediately after their lips made contact, to look at his face for his reaction. Minato's face held an expression of shock, but a wide smile grazed his lips. Satisfied with what she was seeing, Kushina cupped his cheeks with her palms and pull him in for a _real_ kiss.

Minato's mental condition could best be described as floating on cloud nine. He was so freaking _elated_ that Kushina returned his feelings that he could swear his blood was boiling in his veins. He kissed her back with all his might, though careful not to crush her with his body. He may wasn't heavy enough for a man, but he was still heavier than her. He let his arms slide around her and bring her closer to him, making their contact more intimate.

Kushina's tongue was poking his lips and he opened his mouth willingly, letting her guide him. She inserted her tongue into his warm mouth tentatively, as if testing the waters. When she felt her wet muscle touch his, she knew that this had been a good idea. She gave into the kiss, feeling more liberated than she had ever felt in her entire life. Minato was definitely the person she would gladly go to the edge of the Earth for, if he asked.

When they broke apart, a few minutes later, Kushina felt obliged to finally tell him what had been playing off in her mind since last night. "Two weeks together," she told him, looking straight into his eyes. "That's all it took. Two weeks for me to fall for you, two weeks to discover how wonderful you are, two weeks to realize that this tomboy here can actually harbour feelings for a guy."

Minato smiled and touched her cheek. "What tomboy?" he asked playfully, leaving a soft peck on her lips. "All I can see is a beautiful woman, who makes me feel so weird when she's around. She can break my jaw and open a hole through my gut, and I will still find her amazing. Because even though I'm quite damaged, I think I'm in love with her."

Kushina laughed at his small confession. "Well, she thinks so, too."

Minato didn't say anything in return. He simply smiled and held her close to him, as they went back to watching the crystalline raindrops fall onto the freshly mowed lawn of the park and providing each other their warmth. He felt so lucky and he couldn't think of any place that he'd rather be at that moment, other than that small playhouse with Kushina, the girl who really proved to be his dream girl.

"Hey, I want to ask you something." Minato simply nodded, a sign for her to go on. "I couldn't help but notice that I haven't heard most of the songs you played today and I was wondering–"

"I wrote them all for you," he interrupted her, answering her question before she had even uttered it. "Every single one of them."

Her hazel eyes met his. "Then play them all; now, for me."

And he did, until the sun came up.


	4. Strangers In The Night

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>none, really  
><strong>warnings <strong>language, fluff, sex  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>i do not own naruto  
><strong>notice <strong>so, here's a sexy lemon scene. i edited it, and i hope it's non-explicit enough for the site. n'joy! btw, there's no real plot in this chapter..

* * *

><p><strong>4. Strangers In The Night<strong>

_"Sometimes you think you'll never touch the earth again."_

* * *

><p>Seven days after Minato's live performance in the radio station, turmoil was dominating the Namikaze household.<p>

Naturally, after their rash decision to spend the night at Central Park during the great downpour, they had both submitted to a heavy cold. Kushina couldn't keep herself from cursing him every time they were in the same room, but Minato always solved things with a kiss. She made a mental note to let him know that such an action wouldn't always get him out of trouble, but it always got kind of postponed.

In all truth, Being Minato's girlfriend was not really different than being his best friend. They continued to spend time together as they usually did, having a meal, playing the guitar… The only difference was the kisses. Oh _God_, the kisses. Kushina had her own fair share of boyfriends in the past, yet she had never met such a great kisser like Minato. It wasn't really much about skill, but more about the passion he possessed whenever their lips touched.

But still, despite all the breathtaking kisses, the heartwarming embraces and the great time they had together, Kushina was pretty freaked out when she entered Minato's apartment that evening.

"Do you want a muffin or a cupcake? Or maybe a waffle?" Minato asked. Kushina stood there, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "What about pancakes?"

It was rather comical to see Minato in a kitchen, wearing an apron and baking. Kushina wasn't sure what had caused it, but she was pretty tempted to break out in laughter. "No, thanks. I'm not really hungry right now," she said slowly, _cautiously_, though the look on Minato's face made her change her mind. "I mean, sure! What the hell, I'd love a waffle!"

Minato nodded wordlessly and put a freshly-made waffle on a plate and poured some chocolate syrup on it. He pushed it towards Kushina and turned back to the stove, flipping a pancake over with his spatula.

"So, what's up with you?" she asked, while munching on a piece of her waffle and looking around at the kitchen counters, which were full of pastries. "Why are you cooking?"

"I'm angry," Minato replied casually, his back facing her.

Kushina raised an eyebrow. "I thought you played the guitar whenever you were angry." _If you ever are, for that matter._

He turned around to face her and she noticed that his hands were shaking. "Kushina, if I dare as to even touch my guitar right now, I'll break it."

She watched him blankly, and then chuckled uneasily. "That's bullshit. You would never break _Avalon_, you love it."

"Trust me, right now, I would," he said, nodding his head for emphasis.

"Yeah, right," she said sarcastically. "Why _are_ you angry, anyways?" In truth, an angry Minato was not a common sight in this world. Although, the current scene was more of an upset Minato, than an angry one.

"Because it's been a week! It's been a freaking _week _since I went to that radio show and not a single call since then! Nothing." His shoulders fell. "I guess I've had too high expectations. I was expecting the world to love me or something. What was I thinking?" he asked himself, forgetting about Kushina. "I'm not anyone special, just another wannabe musician asking for fame." He shook his head.

Kushina gave him an incredulous look. "You are _so_ in need of a song right now. Come here," she said and took his hand, leading him out of the kitchen to the living room. She pushed his guitar in his hands and took hold of her own. She was glad she knew this song like the back of her palm. Well, he _had_ written it for her, after all.

(Psh, as if _every other song_ of his wasn't written for her.)

"Let's see how mad you'll be after this," she said playfully and her fingers hit the strings of her guitar.

Kushina began singing the first verse on her own, while Minato simply backed up her guitar playing. It was the first time he'd heard her sing one of his songs and it completely caught him off guard. Sooner than he expected though, he felt his muscles relax and he joined in the chorus.

The flame-haired woman didn't bother to mask her smile when she heard his voice join hers in the beautifully written and performed chorus, and she let him take up the second verse on his own, only assisting him during the next chorus.

Minato played the last chord and the melody faded. Kushina was watching him the whole time. Music relaxed his muscles and she saw him calm down. It was like his personal drug or something. Minato looked up at her and flashed her one of his bright grins, the ones that made her heart melt and beat rapidly.

"Thank you," he whispered with a new-found joy.

"I told you you'd feel better," she replied as a matter-of-factly with a grin of her own.

Minato reached over to her and planted an unexpected kiss on her soft lips. Kushina gasped, but then closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his lips on hers. It may have only been a week since the first time she'd felt it and she hadn't gotten enough of it, yet. In fact, she thought she'd _never_ get enough of it.

Even after quite some time, Kushina still couldn't remember how things got so heated so suddenly. One moment they were just innocently kissing and then, _bam!_ Half their clothes were on the floor and the rest of them were about to meet them.

Kushina grinned against his lips and tackled him to the floor. Minato's back hit the hard wooden floor and he was sure that his back would be complaining tomorrow (_You are so old, Minato!_ Kushina had commented), but he couldn't care less since Kushina was straddling his waist and plugging his mouth with hers. Minato was not a very dominating person in general, so he didn't particularly care that he was on the bottom at the moment. Though in this game, the tables can turn before you know it.

The flame-haired woman assaulted his mouth hungrily, tugging on his lower lip with her canine and earning a pained groan from him when she applied too much pressure. Her tongue slipped inside Minato's mouth, urging his tongue to come out and play. Minato complied happily to her request, while his hands slipped stealthily under her shirt and ran up to the clasp of her bra. Kushina pulled away to give him a wicked grin.

"Impatient, aren't we?" she teased, her breath not in the least faltered by their long kiss.

Minato, who was obviously affected by the lack of oxygen and the fact that his pants were becoming too tight for his taste, exhaled deeply and, with her help, pulled Kushina's shirt over her head. Before he could even marvel at her upper body, she had him trapped with her lips once again. She tugged on his shirt violently, trying to get it off him without breaking their lip-lock. Something like that, of course, was impossible, even for Kushina Uzumaki, and Minato had to pull back in order to save his favourite t-shirt from Kushina's lack of patience. And she called _him_ impatient, duh.

Once his t-shirt was removed, Kushina's mouth travelled down to his chest, leaving a trail of kisses to every inch of skin. That was particularly when Minato realized that if this went on for a little longer, he wouldn't make it to the bedroom and take her right there on the floor, instead. Grabbing her wrists, he made Kushina stop and look into his baby blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a little annoyance. Why did he always have to ruin their moments?

"Let's take this to the bedroom," Minato suggested with a sheepish grin, nodding towards his left. Kushina looked over to said room and shrugged, getting off Minato.

He sensed her annoyance though, and as soon as he got on his feet, he grabbed her forearms forcefully and slammed his mouth on hers. Kushina gasped at his straightforwardness, but jumped on him nevertheless, locking her legs around his waist and her hands around his neck. It took Minato a lot of effort to manage to take them to his bedroom without breaking the make-out session with Kushina, but he finally made it, after bumping on a wall and earning a soft hiss from Kushina.

Minato laid her carefully on the bed and crawled on top of her as soon as he did. Kushina smiled tenderly at him and he could see a fire burning in her eyes. He was certain that his eyes mirrored the look of want and lust. His breathing was laboured and the situation inside of his jeans was not getting any better.

Kushina reached down to unbutton and unzip her jeans, not breaking eye contact, and Minato followed her example, slipping off his own pants. He suppressed a laugh when he saw Kushina's eyes widen slightly at the bulge in his boxers.

"Don't worry," he murmured into her ear. "It doesn't bite." At this, she punched him on the shoulder.

In truth, Minato's looks were enough for Kushina to wonder whether she was a lesbian. He was blonde with bright blue eyes and a lanky physique that didn't indicate at all that he was a guy. Honestly, she couldn't put her finger on the fact that the guy owned a penis, before she witnessed _it_ – the swelling trapped inside his navy boxer shorts. She almost let out a sigh of relief.

Minato leaned down and captured her lips with his once again, pouring everything he felt into that kiss. They were not even midway into giving into each other completely, yet he felt butterflies dance inside his stomach – it was a funny feeling, but pleasant nonetheless.

Feeling his hands circle her torso, Kushina arched her back to give him access to the clasp of her bra. After fumbling with it for a few seconds, Minato managed to pull it open without destroying it and tossed the garment somewhere in the room. The sun was setting and the bedroom was covered by amber light, their bodies barely visible in the twilight.

Minato's lips moved from Kushina's mouth to her neck and then down to her chest. He stared at her ample breasts for a moment, before taking one mound into his mouth, while Kushina laced her fingers with his and ran her other hand through his bright colored hair. His tongue was rounding her soft breast tenderly, treating it like a lollipop, sucking and occasionally biting, before making love to the other as well. She let out a soft whimper of pleasure.

"You're girly," Kushina declared as Minato's lips trailed down her stomach. "And too damn scrawny for your own good–" she caressed his chest at that "–you should pay a visit to a hairdresser's and start going to the gym."

Minato looked up at her, removing his mouth from her skin with a loud 'pop'. "Why are you telling me this _now_?" he asked in slight annoyance for being interrupted.

Kushina propped herself up on her elbows. "Because _I_ might like you, but you're less likely to have another girlfriend after me if you don't get manlier. I shall let you know that most girls don't go for bony."

He contemplated telling her that he didn't want any other girl besides her, but that would sound terribly cliché and he would risk her getting up and leaving him hot and bothered. And he really needed to get laid at that moment, so he went with a shrug. "_You_ did."

She smirked, toying with his nipple. He shuddered. "Well, I'm not most girls."

"No. Definitely, not," he agreed, circling her belly button with his tongue. "And don't talk about other girls and break-ups when I'm making love to you."

Kushina snorted, but let him continue his ministrations nevertheless. He was sending a pleasurable shiver down her spine, making her feel so great. For all his girliness, Minato was pretty skilful when it came to pleasing a woman in bed, she figured. Turns out his mouth was capable for many more things than just singing and babbling non-stop.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt him tug her panties down with his teeth. She wasn't expecting him to go down on her, and she definitely didn't crave it. She had never done it before and, from all the thought she had given it, it didn't seem like something she'd ever ask for.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she half-yelled at him, yanking his head up by his hair, their intimate moment being once again interrupted.

Minato grimaced from the pain of being yanked by the hair. "Taking care of you, what else?"

Her jaw hung open. "_But_-! You can't- You're not touching my... _there_... with your mouth! It's disgusting!" she hissed with a blush adorning her cheeks.

He smiled and pried her hands away from his hair, his fingers playing with the hem of her panties, as her hands gripped his wrists tightly.

"How about you let me do my thing and relax?"

Kushina sighed deeply and let him get away with it, bracing herself for the worst. What she didn't know was that her opinion on the subject would be thoroughly changed after he was done with her.

Minato pulled down her underwear, leaving her as naked as the day she was born. He had to stop himself from grinning from ear to ear. There she was, Kushina Uzumaki in all her naked glory. He felt like the luckiest man in the world. He urged her to relax. From her reaction earlier, he figured that this must have been her first time to try out oral sex. But Minato felt a sudden rush of pride, thinking that no one else before had touched her this way. So, he intended to make her enjoy it to the utmost.

Kushina could only sigh in pleasure as Minato caressed her intimately, gasping when he did something new and moaning when the pleasure was too much to bear. She felt her orgasm built up and the pressure she felt on the pit of her stomach informed her that she would soon reach her peak.

It only took her a few more seconds submit to pleasure. Her loud moan was indication enough. Minato smiled tenderly, while Kushina lay there, panting heavily, her chest rising and falling unsteadily. He smiled and leaned down to capture her lips in a swift kiss. Kushina tasted something bittersweet in his mouth, and she figured it must have been how she tasted down there. It wasn't disgusting, not in the least, but not something extremely pleasant either.

"See? It wasn't that bad, ne?" he asked with a smile, looking into her eyes.

Kushina flushed. "I'm not going to praise you, if that's what you're asking for."

He chuckled softly and kissed her again. "It never crossed my mind," he said and reached over to his nightstand's drawer and pulled out a condom.

Kushina raised an eyebrow at him. "Did you actually plan this, Namikaze, or are you regularly doing the nasty in this bed with other women?"

Minato frowned. "You were the one who initiated this in the first place, Kushina. How in the world could I have possible planned it?"

"So, you're an easy lover, then?" she teased, taking the condom from his hand.

He silenced her with a kiss, because he knew that the argument could go on forever. "Better safe than sorry," he whispered when he pulled away.

Kushina laughed and helped him take off his boxers, freeing his swollen member. The size was good, she supposed. Tenderly, she tore the plastic wrapper and placed the condom on his member. When she secured it, she smirked up at Minato, whose face betrayed pure bliss.

"Do you want me to take care of _you_, Minato?" she hissed into his ear.

These ten words was all he needed to be brought back to Earth. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her body closer to his. "Not tonight," Minato replied, positioning himself on her entrance.

He was opening his mouth to ask the dreaded question when Kushina pushed her hand against his lips. "If you dare ask _that_ question, Namikaze, I'm out the door this instant," she warned him and Minato nodded rapidly. Virgin or not, Kushina was scary.

Clenching his teeth, Minato pushed his way inside her, earning soft gasps from Kushina. His whole length was already inside her when he noted that he hadn't met any barrier on his way in, which automatically answered his question. He looked at Kushina's face for permission and, with a curt nod from the woman, he pulled out and entered her fully.

Kushina moaned loudly, getting used to the feel of him. He was perfect, he _felt _perfect. The groan that came from the blonde man above her told her that he was enjoying this as much as she did. Her first time was clumsy and messy and purely out of curiosity. It wasn't anything worth remembering. But this, _this_ felt so good, she swore she was going to faint. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered for him to pick up the pace.

Minato complied without a second thought. They moved in unison, her hips rising to meet his each thrust, their moans coming out together. He kissed her again and again, savouring her taste and thanking God for allowing him to have a woman like her in his arms. They lasted a little longer before giving into pleasure.

They remained like that, wrapped around each other, for a few short moments to catch their breath, before Minato rolled off of her and into the empty space next to her. She watched his chest rise and fall steadily and smiled inwardly. Tonight, they'd come as close as physically possible, but it felt like they also came closer in spirit. It was a nice thought.

Kushina was caught off guard when Minato grabbed her arm and brought her close to him, tucking her head under his chin and wrapping his arms around her. She laughed softly and reached for the covers to hastily drape them over their sweat-licked bodies.

Minato knew better than to ask for pillow talk from Kushina, so he just let her be for the moment. She fell asleep soon after their lovemaking was over, with a content smile on her lips. Au contraire, he stayed up almost all night, watching her sleep under the dim light coming from the moon outside. No words in the world could explain just how happy he felt that night, holding her in his arms and listening to her soft breathing.

He fell asleep only minutes before the sun rose, with lyrics and rhythms clouding his mind – all for the woman he loved. He would never say it out loud – for he could earn a punch in the gut or a fat lip – but he knew that Kushina Uzumaki, with all her temper and compulsiveness, was the woman he wished he could spend the rest of his life with.


	5. Everyone Can See It

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>none i can think of**  
>warnings <strong>fluff, suggestiveness, language  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina & implied fugaku/mikoto  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>i do not own naruto  
><strong>notice <strong>finally, mikoto enters the scene. about _damn_ time. also, there's inoichi in this one and you know you love him. i do. :D anyways, i'm going to my grandma's tomorrow and i'm staying there for 10 days, with no internet connection, so this is a goodbye gift. there's no music in this one, sorry! i'll update when i return. bai-bai!

* * *

><p><strong>5. Everyone Can See It<strong>

"_In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips."_

* * *

><p>When Namikaze Minato woke up the next morning, he was naked, smelly and freaking elated.<p>

It had been barely three hours since he'd gone to sleep, yet he was feeling rejuvenated. Golden rays of sunlight entered his bedroom through his large window, whose curtains they hadn't bothered to close the night before, and fell on the two bodies resting on the semi-double bed.

Minato took his sweet time gazing at Kushina's sleeping form, enjoying it for as long as it lasted, because he knew that the moment she'd be up, she would be back to her natural hell-raiser self. Oh well, he thought, her wild personality was one of the things about her he had fallen madly in love with.

A part of him was feisty about the way things would be now, after the night they'd spent together. Would she feel awkward around him? Would she want to jump him at every chance she gets? Though he was not exactly opposed to the latter idea, he knew that Kushina would never do such a thing. She was collected and she knew what she wanted. Deep inside, he wished that _he_ was what she wanted.

With a deep sigh, Minato lifted his gaze towards his room, staring blankly at the bookcase on the other side of the room. Had it been any other woman, he could act all mushy and romantic and make her feel special, but when it came to Kushina this was definitely a bad idea. She didn't like romanticisms and all that jazz, thus Minato was in a dead end about how he should act.

_Well, _he concluded after a moment of thinking,_ then I guess I'll just have to act like myself._

Kushina blinked several times in order to clear her vision when she finally woke up. She came face to face with a white ceiling that had a crack on it and she immediately realized that she was not in her bedroom. And then, last night's events flooded into her mind, causing her to blush a bright shade of pink.

They had really done it–broken every barrier between them. And, for some reason, she didn't feel bad about it. Truthfully, she thought it was only a matter of time before it happened and last night had been wonderful. It wasn't just the sex, but mostly the tenderness Minato possessed as he caressed her body before, during _and_ after their lovemaking. And that was all she needed to know.

She really hoped that things wouldn't be awkward from now on, though. With Minato, she'd come to expect almost everything.

Kushina glanced at her left and saw Minato standing there in all his naked glory. The sheets were drawn up to his waist, covering his most private parts–not that there was anything she hadn't seen by now–and leaving his chest exposed to her eyes. He was propped up on his elbow and resting his head against his fist. His azure eyes were burning through her and his trademark grin was plastered on his face.

"Creepy…" she mumbled and buried her face in the pillows to avoid his burning stare.

Minato laughed heartily–a sound that made her stomach feel funny–and leaned down to her. He pushed her flame-colored hair away from her ear and placed a soft kiss on the earlobe. "Wake up, sleepyhead. It's morning," he whispered softly.

"Go away, you freaking stalker," Kushina told him sleepily, not turning to look at him.

Minato raised an eyebrow, even though she couldn't see it. "I wasn't stalking you."

"You _so_ were watching me while I was sleeping, so that makes you a _stalker_," she clarified, her voice slightly muffled by the pillow.

He shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "Well, I wouldn't have, if you didn't look like a delicious tomato."

This time, Kushina turned to look at him, her hazel eyes narrowing dangerously. "Are you calling me _fat_, Namikaze?"

Minato shook his head defensively. "No, of course not!" He paused. "Wait a second. I thought _you_ didn't care about your weight. I _thought_ you said it was all girlie stuff that you didn't want anything to do with and–"

Kushina rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the back of his neck, bringing them close so that their noses were almost touching. "Shut up and kiss me," she demanded and Minato was more than happy to comply.

After all, who was he to say no to Kushina Uzumaki?

* * *

><p>They dragged themselves out of bed eventually – courtesy of Kushina and her self-restraint; well, not so much – after a lot of fervent kisses and an almost-second time. Minato rummaged through his messy drawers for a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, while Kushina was reaching for one of Minato's shirts when she realized just how cliché it would be and put on her own, instead.<p>

Once fully dressed, Minato got down to business, preparing pancakes for breakfast. Kushina took it upon herself to make them some hot coffee to help them start the day. It was a fact that she couldn't go to school before having at least one cup of steaming coffee.

Moreover, this gave her an excuse to stick around in the kitchen until Minato was done making breakfast. Kushina found, much to her surprise, that he was very hot in an apron. For some reason she couldn't quite understand, she couldn't take her eyes off of him as he flipped the pancakes with the spatula and hummed a soft tune to himself–one of his own songs, undoubtedly.

There was a very persistent feeling in the tip of her stomach that urged her to walk up to him and smash his lips with hers. She felt like boiling inside. It was an odd and unexpected feeling that she couldn't quite place, but it was overwhelming nevertheless. But why was Minato's presence affecting her so much all of a sudden? Was sex such a big step into a relationship? She didn't know, for she had never had the chance to figure it out before, but it felt great.

Quietly, she placed her mug on the counter and walked over to him. He didn't turn around, for he was too caught up in his cooking and thinking. However, he became aware of her presence when he felt Kushina's fingers run through his hair and her short nails scrapping his skull. He let out a low groan and then, throwing the spatula carelessly on the counter, he turned around and crashed his lips on Kushina's.

He picked her up and Kushina instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her inside the living room and dropped her on the couch, careful not to hurt her. Minato crawled atop of her and they engaged in a long, passionate kiss. Her tongue teased his own, not surrendering fully to his kiss. It was fun, trying to gain dominance in a battle that wasn't even there to begin with.

However, Minato was forced to break their heated kiss when his sensitive nose picked up the smell of something burning. With a horrified expression, he jumped from on top of Kushina and ran to the kitchen, to tend to his neglected pancakes. Despite all his efforts to stay focused, she had managed to invade his mind once again. Kushina, who had realized what had happened by now, burst out in a hysterical laughter.

The blond man returned to the living room a few minutes later, a fake-angry expression adorning his features. Kushina's laughter died down instantly. "Breakfast is ruined and it's all _your_ fault," he said calmly, in a completely serious tone, as he removed his apron and t-shirt, and threw them carelessly on the floor. "You must be punished."

Without another word, he jumped on top of her and Kushina's loud laughter echoed in the apartment.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, after their heated activities were over, the couple made its way towards Kushina's school. Though she had threatened Minato, telling him that she didn't need a bodyguard to walk her to school, he had been very persistent about it. He had said that he did it to make up for the lack of breakfast that morning – even though it was all <em>her<em> fault – and that he just wanted to spend some time with her. She finally agreed after a moment of thinking; it wouldn't be that bad for him to walk with her, after all, that's what they used to do before they got together.

Although it wasn't a rush hour, the city was still rather busy, even in the late morning hours. They took their time walking to Kushina's school, talking about random things and pointedly avoiding discussing about their relationship. It was still a rather fresh subject, they both figured. They would have time later to talk about it. Besides, it wasn't like things were complicated or anything between them – they liked each other, so they were together. Period.

They reached the school after a few more minutes of walking, and Kushina halted abruptly. Minato gave her a confused look and she took a deep breath before replying. "This–" Kushina gestured the space between them "–doesn't change the fact that you're blond and stupid and my best friend. Remember that."

Minato flashed a toothy grin and bend down to steal a chaste kiss from her lips. "I'll keep it in mind," he said and stuffed his hands in his pockets, turning around and walking towards the direction they'd just come from.

Kushina shook her head and crossed the grassy field in front of her school with a small smile playing on her lips. Minato was weird, that was for sure, but maybe, just maybe, she could tolerate.

Besides, he was pretty skillful between the sheets.

* * *

><p>It was a fact that Minato and Inoichi had developed a bond since the very first time they had met. There was tangible chemistry between the two blonds and the way they interacted with each other was evidence enough. They resembled two childhood friends who had grown up together and shared everything with each other.<p>

Inoichi had shown Minato, mostly through his actions, that they shared a special bond together. Their link as friends translated to the one doing anything his mind could come up with and get into trouble, but knowing that the other wouldn't get mad and would always help him out.

Really, Inoichi's conception of friendship was _disturbing_.

"Holy shit," Inoichi said from his current position on Minato's office chair with his feet propped up on his desk, as he watched the other blond man walk in his workplace. "Namikaze has finally gotten laid!"

Minato stood there, in the middle of his shared office in the newspaper he worked in, with eyes wide open in shock and jaw hanging open. How the hell did Inoichi _know_?

"S-shut up, Yamanaka!" he half-yelled, quickly making his way towards his desk. He didn't really enjoy the stares and giggles he was earning from the other employees that shared the office, and he was more than willing to punch the grin off Inoichi's pretty face.

As luck would have it, though, Inoichi didn't get fazed at all by threats – Minato assumed that he earned plenty on a daily basis – and continued his rambling, grinning devilishly. "So, you finally managed to bang her, you lucky dog you!" Minato blushed a deep shade of pink.

"_Shut up_, Inoichi!" Minato hushed in embarrassment, his voice barely audible to anyone besides the man in front of him. He paused and looked at the older man cautiously. "Wait, what are _you _doing here?"

Inoichi frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, momentarily forgetting about the subject he was teasing Minato for. He had relatively short attention span. "I suppose I could tell you, but since I'm so unwanted here, I think I should go." He stood up to emphasize his point.

Minato rolled his eyes and dropped his bag on his desk, ignoring his colleagues' confused looks and the blush fading slowly from his cheeks. After all, it wasn't as if he wasn't getting himself into an embarrassing situation at least twice a week. "Cut the drama, Inoichi, and _speak_."

Inoichi cleared his throat. "As you have probably heard and as Kushina may have told you, I am a very sensitive man when it comes to money," he stated and Minato nodded knowingly. Kushina had told him that the man was a money hugger.

"And I normally would have just claimed copyright of your songs, which you so deliberately handed to me, and you'd be left in the shadows, like you already are," Inoichi continued with a smug smirk, which gave Minato the impression that he had actually _done_ such a thing before. "_But_, you I really like you, kid, and you got talent, also meaning that you can make me money, so I have an offering for ya."

Minato stared at him for a second. "Does that mean that people liked my performance?" he asked with hope in his eyes. That was mainly what he had managed to make out from Inoichi's riddles.

Inoichi's lips pulled back in a grin. "Duh, of course, man! I had to spend all week reading mails from fans telling me to bring you back! That's why I didn't call you earlier."

Minato grinned. He was right – people liked his work. He didn't have high expectations, he just had to wait a little for the miracle to happen. And, oh man, didn't _that_ seem just around the corner? He was so happy, he swore he wanted to kiss Inoichi at that moment.

But Kushina would probably kill him if he did, so he kept his composure.

Inoichi stood up from his seat a couple of minutes later and dusted himself off. "Well, as much as I'd like to watch ya stand there all day, starin' at me like an idiot, I have a business to run. And _you_, my friend, are gonna meet me at four o'clock at _The_ _Stray Dog_ for a beer, so we can discuss that offering I have for you. You in?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Minato nodded without a second thought. Judging from Inoichi's words earlier and the current look on his face, it was most likely that his proposal would be beneficial for the younger blond. And he wasn't nearly insane enough to say no. "Sure, man. I'll be there."

Inoichi smirked proudly and walked out of the room with a swagger. It was only ten minutes after the blond was gone and Minato had settled down to get some work done, that he realized in horror that he had absolutely no idea where –and _what_– the hell _The_ _Stray Dog_ was.

* * *

><p>After getting off the phone with a very hysterical Minato, Kushina slowly took a seat, preparing for her next class, which happened to be History of Art. Minato had called her in a frenzy, asking her where <em>The<em> _Stray Dog_ was and saying that he had an important meeting with Inoichi there later in the afternoon.

Kushina had frowned at that; how important could a meeting with _Inoichi_ be, especially in a place such as _The_ _Stray Dog_? The place was a pub, serving beer and pies, its customers being mostly bums – not a place to have an 'important meeting' by any chance. But she had sighed and told him how to reach it, anyways. She knew for a fact that those two blonds were becoming close friends as time passed – and she couldn't honestly say that it was a good thing.

"So, what was that pretty boy, Uzumaki?" a very feminine and _very_ familiar voice asked from next to her, causing Kushina to almost jump out of her seat.

"Mikoto! Holy shit, girl! You almost gave me a heart attack!" she shrieked and embraced her best friend.

"Hey," Kushina paused after pulling back and eyed the dark-haired woman closely. "Where have _you_ been lately? The last time I saw you in class was almost two weeks ago. Does Fuguface want an exclusive relationship now and he doesn't want you to see me anymore? 'Cause if he does, I'm _so_ going to kick his butt for taking you away from me!"

Mikoto chuckled. She had missed Kushina. "His name is _Fugaku_, Kushina," she corrected while rolling her eyes. "And no, he won't take me away, don't worry. And it's not _my_ fault you missed our shared classes!"

Kushina snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "I had my reasons. I'm still kicking his ass, though."

Mikoto brushed off her comment. Kushina had always threatened her boyfriends with bodily harm, so she had gotten used to it by now. Her lips twisted in a sly smile. "Do these reasons revolve around that dangerously handsome man that dropped you off today? I saw him shove his tongue down your throat, so don't deny it!"

Kushina's eyes widened. "_Please_! _That_ involved no tongue whatsoever. Seriously, Mikoto, if you can't distinguish when someone's using his–"

The older girl pulled up a hand to silence her. "Stop avoiding my question. Who is he? Oh, _shit_. Is that Minato, your friend-who-you-are-secretly-lusting-after-and-can't-wait-to-hop-into-bed-with?" she asked with anticipation.

"_Actually_, he's officially my boyfriend as of last week."

Mikoto gasped. "_Your_–! You lucky girl! And?"

"And nothing. We're together now, making-out, having fun, you know," Kushina explained. She was still hesitant about telling Mikoto that she'd slept with Minato. She couldn't pinpoint why, but she felt that it wasn't the time for Mikoto to know, yet.

"Seriously?"

She nodded. "Seriously."

Mikoto couldn't resist and she crushed her best friend in a smothering hug. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! My little Kushina is finally growing up!"

Kushina pried her friend's hand away from her with a frown. "It's not like I earned a Nobel or something. 'Sides, I've had boyfriends long before _you_ did."

"Yeah, but look at you! You're beaming, girl!" Mikoto exclaimed. "I totally need to meet this guy. Do you think we could double date? It's been a long time since you've seen Fugaku, hasn't it? It'll be the perfect opportunity for you to catch up!"

Kushina smirked evilly. "But I just saw him a few weeks ago, hun. Don't you remember? When I barged into your apartment while you two were having–"

"_That_ wasn't a proper meeting!" Mikoto cut her off, her cheeks turning red. "But thanks for reminding me to retrieve my spare key. Anyways, we're double dating. Period. Do you have anything planned for Saturday?"

Kushina shrugged. "I've no plans as of yet, and I'm pretty sure Minato's free as well."

Mikoto smiled happily. "That's great! Meanwhile, you and I are going to grab a bite together after school today and no, there's no way you're getting away this time!"

Kushina sighed in defeat and directed her attention towards the History teacher who had just walked inside the classroom and was clearing his throat before he started the lecture. She gave him only half of her attention, as her mind wandered to all of the latest changes in her life that she would be soon discussing with Mikoto.

Unintentionally, Kushina's lips pulled back in a silly smile. She had missed spending time with Mikoto. Ever since she'd started dating Fugaku, their allotted time together was cut down almost in half, and now with Minato, it had undoubtedly lessened. However, they had been best friends since middle school and there was no way in the world they would part ways now. After all, they needed each other in this irrational world to keep each other sane.

But that didn't mean she would enjoy the upcoming girl talk. Because, during those things, Mikoto was the devil personified.


	6. Heroes Want Redheads

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>my trip to grandma's place. my inspiration sky-rocketed!  
><strong>warnings <strong>fluff, language  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina (_duh_) & fugaku/mikoto  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>i don't own naruto  
><strong>notice <strong>guess who's back! i had a great time at my granny's place. i'm currently overwhelmed by nostalgia. sigh. _again_ no music, fellas. i think i'm gonna cut this story down to like, five-six short scenes per chapter. i'm still not sure though. i'm having some writer's block about it. there's like twelve more chapters to go, me thinks. alsoalso! i love hippies. and so does kushina. and this is my fastest update _ever._ i need to party, seriously. ja ne!  
><strong>notice2 <strong>inoichi is rubbing off on minato. watch out.

* * *

><p><strong>6. Heroes Want Redheads<strong>

_"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly."_

* * *

><p>After three very tiring hours of girl talk with Mikoto, Kushina was finally allowed to return to her cozy apartment. In all truth, she didn't understand how Mikoto was able to stand through those hideous girl talks and still have energy to spare.<p>

Kicking off her shoes and changing into her pajamas, Kushina made herself a cup of hot chocolate and plopped on her couch, trying to relax after a hectic day. A day with Mikoto was more tiring than three lectures of her Art's teacher about the Italian Renaissance in a row.

Sipping her steaming beverage, Kushina absently wondered where Minato was. He hadn't made an appearance at all after the call he'd given her at noon. She briefly wondered what business did he have with Inoichi and what was the outcome of it. Inoichi was usually bad news, but it seemed that Minato saw him as something equivalent of a friend. She couldn't exactly pinpoint _why_, but he did.

The doorbell rang as soon as she was about to fall asleep on the couch. Sputtering curses under her breath, Kushina dragged her feet to the door and swung it open, ready to yell on top of her lungs at whoever was interrupting her so late in the evening, but she was cut short when she identified her night visitor as Minato.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, turning on her heel and walking back to the living room, her good manners apparently gone astray for the night.

Minato shut the door behind him and following after her. "I thought I'd check up on you," he replied casually, taking a seat next to her on the couch.

Kushina rested her feet on his lap. "You could've called."

"Well, I wanted to see you," Minato argued.

Kushina mumbled something incoherent and covered her eyes with her forearm in a desperate move to fall back into sleep. When she didn't manage to do so, she sighed. "So, how was your date with Inoichi?"

He ignored the intended pun. "It was fine. _The Stray Dog_ is actually a nice place. I don't know why you don't like it."

"It's a dump. And if _you_ had a brain, you'd see that, too. What'd he want?"

He ignored her comment. "He offered me a job."

Kushina jolted upright. "What?" She kicked her feet off Minato's lap and scooted closer to him. "Why would he do that?"

Minato shrugged casually. "He said that I have talent and that we can make money out of it, so…"

"Same old Inoichi, huh?" Kushina snorted and fell back on the couch. "I thought you were above money."

"No one is above money," Minato interjected.

"Not even you?" Kushina raised an eyebrow at his lack of response, but decided to let it drop for now. She readjusted her position on the couch. "So? What kind of job did he offer you?"

Minato grinned. "He asked me to be his co-broadcaster."

"Seriously?" she asked in disbelief. Inoichi was not the one to go around, offering jobs to people he barely knew. She had to practically kiss his ass in order to set a live show for Minato with him.

"Yeah. Bizarre, huh?" Minato said. "He said that we'll do another live, and if people respond as they did in the other one, then they'll hire me."

Kushina smirked. "So, I take it you were sulking for nothing, then?"

Minato frowned. "I _wasn't_ sulking."

"Sure you weren't," Kushina said teasingly, jabbing him in the ribs playfully. "Seriously now, that's great, Minato. Seems like your dream's coming true."

He leaned back in the sofa and smiled lazily at her. "And I would've never done it without you." He held up a finger when she opened her mouth to speak. "I am indefinitely indebted to you, Kushina."

Kushina's eyes narrowed slyly at that. "Does that mean you owe me?" He nodded. "And that you'll do anything I ask?" Minato nodded again. "_Anything_?" she pressed on, leaning close to his face.

Minato felt a shiver ran down his spine. "Yes, Kushina. I'll do anything you ask," he said with a steady voice, although his mind was a little reluctant about what Kushina's plans may were.

Oh, well. In the worst of cases, he'd end up tied up in her bed. It wasn't such a bad thought.

Kushina smiled and moved back in her default position on the couch. "Good. I want you to go on a double date with me."

Minato's face fell. "Come again?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I was verbally assaulted by my best friend today and she demanded to meet you, suggesting a double date with her boyfriend and us on this Saturday. And no, there was no way I could talk my way out of it. You don't know Mikoto; she's like the devil's daughter. The three of us go way back, when we were still kids, living in Boston and–"

Minato silenced her with a kiss, which she had told him numerous times not to do, unless he wanted to own a broken rib. She returned the gesture, though, just for the record, she landed a knee to his ribcage. She hadn't put any force at all, but Minato pulled away with a pained expression, anyways. Kushina couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes; that man was such a baby.

"You didn't need to do that," Minato said with a pout. "I'll come to the double date thing, but you didn't have to kick me."

"It's called self-defense, Namikaze," she replied smugly, her heart beating happily at his acceptance on her proposal. "For all I know, you could be trying to molest me."

Minato snorted at her hypocrisy. "Oh,_ please_, Kushina. _You_ were the one who molested _me_ last night."

"I didn't hear you complaining at the time," Kushina countered.

"Neither were you."

She scowled and pushed him off the couch with her feet. "Get out, Namikaze. I wanna sleep."

Minato stood up, rubbing his sore butt, where he had landed. "You're a mean bitch, you know that?"

Kushina snickered. "One of my many good qualities, undoubtedly." She watched him put on his jacket and added, "And dress up a little for the date, will you? I don't want them thinking I'm dating a bum."

Minato rolled his eyes, slipping his left arm in a sleeve. "Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Kushina. And like, what am I supposed to wear?"

She shrugged indifferently. "Dunno. Well, _don't_ wear a tux. And definitely don't take fashion advices from Inoichi. A nice dress shirt and some dark jeans would do the trick." She held up a warning finger. "And _not_ the ripped ones. And _please_, don't wear your sneakers."

Minato sighed, making his way towards the door. "You sure enjoy telling me what to wear, but what about you?"

Kushina huffed in annoyance. "For your information, I'll be wearing a skirt."

Minato laughed out loud at that. "Kushina Uzumaki in a _skirt_? I never thought I'd see the day!"

It was a good thing that he was out the door as soon as he spoke, because a square shaped cushion hit the door milliseconds later, originally aiming at his blond head.

* * *

><p>"Seriously, Namikaze, you need to man up a little! You're not a kid anymore, man. So, go out there and shit on their faces, for all you care," Inoichi blurted out, raising his beer to his lips once again.<p>

Minato frowned. "You know I'd never do that." He paused to smirk. "And I'll let you know that most people think I'm adorable."

Inoichi snorted. "Kushina doesn't count as most people."

The younger blond made a face. "Kushina doesn't find me adorable. She thinks I'm stupid."

Inoichi stared blankly at him for a moment, before standing up and digging his hand in his jeans' pocket for his wallet. "Okay, point taken. Now, come on, there's someone I want you to meet."

Minato raised an eyebrow, already placing a few bills on the counter. "Huh? Who?"

Inoichi ignored him and slammed a few bucks on the counter, before making his way out of _The Stray Dog_. Despite its moldy setting, the small pub had become their favorite rendezvous point. They had become regulars since the first day Inoichi had invited Minato there. The younger blond was less than indifferent about the place in general, but Kushina had been reluctant to direct him to the place. But she had been raised like an aristocrat, so it was only normal that she disliked places as such.

Minato caught up with the older man and stuff his hands in the pockets of his jacket to protect them from the cold. "Where're we going, 'Ichi?"

"We're gonna meet Fugaku Uchiha." Seeing Minato's passive look, he continued, "He's one of the most influential people you'll ever know. He's got contacts everywhere. And he's a cop."

"And that helps us how?" Minato inquired.

Inoichi sighed. "Man, if you want to be famous, you've gotta know the right people. The Uchiha is a friend o' mine and he can push ya to any direction. He knows managers, directors, singers–every darn person you need in this industry. Plus, his family owns the _Sharingan Records._"

"No shit? Whoa. They're like, the greatest discographic enterprise in the world," he said in awe. Then, he wrinkled his nose. "But why would he help me?"

"Oh, he won't," Inoichi replied casually. "Uchihas are mean people; they don't do shit for nothin'."

"Sounds like you."

Inoichi sent him a half-hearted glare. "No, because I'm a cool fella who's helping you out. 'Sides, I only care for money. These people care for power. That's the difference."

"_Still_, if he isn't gonna help, then why are we meeting him?" Minato asked, crossing a busy street next to Inoichi.

"Because you've got talent, and while you're not ready to go public just yet, when you will, you're gonna need his help," he explained. "Like I said, he's very influential, especially in the company. He's head of surveillance and the next in line for the clan's head."

"But wouldn't that be like using him?"

Inoichi laughed and turned left on a corner. "Dude, you couldn't _use_ an Uchiha, even if you tried. They're devious. And even if he doesn't help you when the time comes, it doesn't hurt to start making some contacts, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," Minato said and halted abruptly to avoid bumping on Inoichi. They were standing in front of a classy coffee shop with giant glass windows. "What's here?"

"_He_'s here." Inoichi grinned. "Now, there's something else you ought to know. The Uchiha, he's in total denial. It's not the normal denial humans go through; it's like an extra special ultra super denial. Get it?"

Minato really wanted to say yes, but it just couldn't come out. He was never good with lies, anyway. "Not really," he said with an uncertain shake of his head.

Inoichi sighed and pushed the door open. "Jus' don't be your usual loud self, alright? He has a nice chance of killing you before the night is over if you do."

Minato frowned. "Such a nice thing to say, Inoichi," he growled and followed him inside.

If Fugaku had managed to be a friend of Inoichi and had yet to kill him, he could definitely handle Minato. After all, he was adorable to most people – minus Kushina, that is.

* * *

><p>"Where are we going, again?" Minato asked as he shifted uncomfortably inside his leather jacket. The weather was a little cold that November night and his thin button-up shirt wasn't doing much to keeping him warm.<p>

Kushina rolled her eyes and kept walking, trying to balance herself in her high-heeled boots. She normally didn't do formal appearances, but this was a special occasion. Mikoto had even threatened her with the exposure of very embarrassing facts in front of Minato about her life as an adolescent, if she dared to show up dressed like a hippie.

Kushina didn't quite understand what her problem was. She liked hippies.

"For the last time, Minato, we are going to meet them outside _Tony's_. Seriously, what's wrong with you? You've been out of it all day."

Minato scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. It's just that I'm racing to catch up with the new job and Inoichi's turning my brain in a pile of mashed potatoes since we started working together."

Kushina snorted. "And that's where I come in, saying 'I told you so'. Seriously, did you think it'd be easy to work with him?"

"I don't know. He's not that bad, you just have to get used to him."

"Yeah, right. Inoichi's one of the most difficult people I know, so good luck with that."

"Hey, I'm dating you, aren't I? How much more difficult can someone be?" he asked playfully, earning himself a punch in the shoulder. "Ouch."

"That's what you get for insulting a lady," Kushina retorted coldly.

Minato smirked and leaned close to her ear. "For all it's worth, you look hot tonight," he whispered slyly.

Kushina's lips curved upwards in a smug smile. "Don't I always?"

"Kushina!"

The couple turned their direction from each other and towards the high-pitched voice that had interrupted their conversation. Minato stared blankly at the black-haired woman, but Kushina grinned and embraced her warmly.

"Hey! How long have you been here?" Kushina greeted.

Mikoto shrugged. "We just arrived actually." Then, she turned to Minato. "Hi, you must be Minato. I'm Mikoto Uchiha, Kushina's best friend."

Minato shook her hand, nodding his head. "Minato Namikaze. It's nice to meet you."

Mikoto smiled. "Likewise."

Kushina turned to her best friend. "Hey, Mikoto, where's–"

"Fugaku? What are _you_ doing here?"

Both women turned abruptly to look at Minato, who had walked up to the tall, dark-haired man standing a few feet behind Mikoto. The latter just stared in confusion, while Kushina raised an eyebrow.

"I could as you the same, Minato," Fugaku said in a deep voice, before the two engaged in a short conversation.

"W–w–wait!" Mikoto exclaimed, waving her hands comically in front of her and turning to Kushina. "Do they know each other?"

Kushina crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the two men suspiciously. "Apparently."

"But how?" Mikoto asked.

"Well, I don't know," Kushina replied with a shrug. "But look on the bright side; they already know each other and they haven't killed one another yet, so that's a win for us."

Mikoto smiled in relief. It was a fact that they weren't sure if their boyfriends would get along with each other, because they were the exact opposite from one another. "I guess you're right."

Kushina grinned and locked her arm with Mikoto's. "Always am. Now, let's get our men and go inside already. I'm starving!"

* * *

><p>"'Cause I'm a cowboy, on this steal horse I ride! I'm wanted dead or alive! I'M WANTED–"<p>

"Keep it down, God damn it!" Kushina hushed the slightly drunken blond as she tried to unlock the door and steady Minato at the same time.

"Aw, c'mon, 'Shina! Let's dance!" Minato exclaimed happily and yanked Kushina by her arm. She came crashing onto his chest.

"What the hell, you idiot!" Kushina half-yelled and pushed away, finally managing to open the door. She stumbled inside the apartment and dragged Minato in as well.

Kushina sighed as the blond fell face first on her couch and submitted to sleep almost instantly. She knew that they shouldn't have gone for drinks after they had dinner with Fugaku and Mikoto, but the latter insisted on it. It had been a while since they had gone out anyways, so Kushina had accepted. How was she supposed to know that Minato was such a light-weight?

She walked to her closet and took out a blanket. Then, she returned to the living room and noticed that Minato was still wearing his leather jacket. With a deep sigh, Kushina tried to move him so that she could remove it without waking him. Minato's eyes fluttered open though and they found themselves staring at each other for a few seconds.

"'Shina…" Minato mumbled drowsily.

"Hey. I need you to take off your jacket," Kushina said somewhat sheepishly. She interacted with numerous drunk people, especially during the nights of debauchery she used to participate in when she was in high school and in her first years of college, but a drunk Minato was an uncommon phenomenon.

Minato smiled in his drunkenness and took off his jacket. "I love you, 'Shina."

Kushina's features softened momentarily and she smiled lazily at his half-sleeping form. She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the corner of Minato's lips, before reaching over and draping the blanket over him. She tip-toed her way into her room, but lingered for a moment on the doorway to gaze at the big kid sleeping on her couch.

"I'll be damned. You really are one of a kind, Namikaze."


	7. Never Judge A Lady By Her Lover

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>forget what I said on the last chapter; inspiration o' meter: nil  
><strong>warnings <strong>language, slight fluff  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>I don't own naruto  
><strong>notice<strong> see? what did I say? six scenes per chapter. I suck, and this chapter sucks, too. last year of HS is so damn close! don't expect to meet kushina's parents. they're _evil._ and, uh, you're gonna hate me for the next chapter. now, read this piece of shit.  
><strong>notice2 <strong>I don't know why I don't refer to music anymore. it makes me sad, though. there's gonna be some in the next chapter, if it's any consolation for you guys. I think this story's so far from the original idea. and there's no inoichi in this chapter. :(

* * *

><p><strong>7. Never Judge A Lady By Her Lover<strong>

_"Love has a nasty tendency of complicating things."_

* * *

><p>The sound of a phone ringing incessantly awoke Minato from his peaceful little slumber many hours before he would originally rise. It was penetrating his already aching head, courtesy of last night's drinks. He buried his face under his blanket to block out the noise, but to no avail. It wasn't going to go away soon, Minato concluded and threw the blanket off of him.<p>

Slowly and wearily, he dragged his feet towards the coffee table where the device was placed on and, after bumping on a few pieces of furniture, he finally reached his destination. With half-lidded eyes and a hangover induced brain, he picked up the device and pressed it against his ear.

Kushina rolled over on her back and lay there on her bed, staring blankly at the white ceiling. She had had a really relaxing sleep last night and she had Minato to thank for that. The man was still a kid, but he was adorable – not that she'd ever tell him that. In her thoughts, she barely heard the phone ringing in the living room.

She slipped from under the covers and made her way towards the living room to check up on her blond boyfriend, who she supposed was still passed out on her sofa, and answer the phone. She was almost certain that it was Mikoto, calling to tell her what first impression Minato had made and gossip about last night's events. That was exactly like something Mikoto would do.

But Kushina didn't expect to see Minato leaning against the wall with her phone against his ear and a puzzled expression on his face. Immediately, Kushina paled. With a brief glance towards the clock hanging on her wall, all her previous thoughts were erased. Mikoto would never call her so early on a Sunday, especially after knowing how many drinks they had consumed the previous night. There was only one person who always called her on Sunday mornings.

With a leap, she was standing next to him and she snatched the device out of his hands, much to his surprise. "Hello?"

"_Kushina,_" came the stern voice of Kushina's mother on the other end of the line.

"Mom, I can explain," Kushina said with a hint of fear in her voice.

"_Explain what exactly, Kushina? Who was it that answered your phone? And why did he answer it?"_

Kushina rubbed her eyes. "Mom, would you please calm down?"

_"No, I won't! Kushina, as your mother, I demand you to tell me who is that man who has the audacity to answer your phone!"_ she shrieked into the phone.

"It's Minato, he's–" Kushina started, but she was cut off.

_"Minato? What kind of name is that? Who is he? Why is he answering your phone?"_

The flame-haired woman took a deep breath. "Mom, just stop. He's my boyfriend, okay?"

There was a pregnant silence between the two women that made Kushina sweat under her pajamas. Her mother and she didn't have the closest relationship, mostly because of her mother's strict attitude and Kushina's untamed personality.

_"Bring him over this Thursday."_

That was definitely something Kushina didn't expect to hear. "What?"

She heard her snort. _"You heard me. Be in time for the Thanksgiving dinner."_

The line went dead and Kushina couldn't help but wonder what the hell had just happened. Did her mother just invite her and Minato to Boston for Thanksgiving? And since when did her parents care about her relationships? She honestly thought that they didn't give a damn. Obviously, she had been wrong.

Minato appeared from the bathroom a few moments later to find her staring blankly at the phone in her hands, deep in thought. He cleared his throat as subtly as he could and when she turned to look at him, he was wearing a sheepish look on his face.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, breaking the silence between them.

Kushina gave him an angry look. "You just had to answer the damn phone, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't know it was your mother! I was half-asleep and I had a hangover, I thought I was in my apartment! I didn't want to cause you trouble," he apologized sincerely, raising his hands in front of him in defense.

Kushina opened her mouth to yell at him, but she closed it as soon as she did and put on a fake smile. "That's okay, Minato," she said sweetly. "It's fine, really."

Minato eyed her warily. A sweet Kushina was a dangerous one. "R–really?"

Kushina nodded. "Of course." Then, her expression hardened. "And you better start getting ready, 'cause we're going to Boston this Thursday," she said and walked past him.

"Wha–?" Minato stood there, mouth agape, watching her in utter confusion. He grabbed his aching head and wailed. His day had _not_ started out well.

* * *

><p>"I really can't believe it!"<p>

Kushina almost jumped at her best friend's voice, causing her to draw a line on her painting. She frowned at the canvas and started scrubbing on the offending line. "What can't you believe exactly, Mikoto?"

Mikoto crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought you were like the ultimate feminist. I thought that you would be the last woman to let herself be controlled by a man."

Kushina raised an eyebrow at her friend. "The last man whom I let control me was my dad, and I was like, _five_ then."

Mikoto's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't use sarcasm on me. I'm talking about Minato."

Kushina broke out in laughter, earning a raised eyebrow from her best friend. "Sorry, but even the _thought_ of Minato controlling _me_ is hilarious."

"Don't play stupid, Kushina," Mikoto warned her. "You slept with him, did you not?"

Kushina's laughter was cut down immediately. "Where'd you hear that?"

Mikoto put her hands up in exasperation. "It doesn't matter where I heard it from, Kushina! The thing is that it's true. I can't believe it! How did you let a man talk you into something you didn't want?"

Kushina shook her head in order to clear her thoughts. She placed her palms on Mikoto's shoulders. "Okay, just shut up and hear me out for a sec, will you?" Mikoto huffed but nodded. "Now, here's the thing; I didn't sleep with him because he made me do it. I did it because I felt like it. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes…" she said slowly.

Kushina nodded. "Good. Now get any ideas out of your head because I'm still the number one feminist in town," she said and removed her hands from Mikoto's shoulders, reaching out for her brush again.

Mikoto sighed. "I still can't believe you didn't tell me, though. I'm your best friend, Kushina. I thought we were supposed to tell everything to each other."

Kushina hung her head. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just didn't feel ready to do it. My relationship with Minato is still way too fresh and I want to know where it goes before I can say anything for sure. Call me stupid, but I just felt like keeping that detail for myself."

Mikoto's lips curved in a sympathetic smile. "It's okay. I'm sorry for the scene. I just want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what you want to share. I won't judge you, Kushina."

Kushina smiled weakly. "Thank you," she said and went back to her painting as Mikoto did the same with a smile.

However, Kushina was emitting a dangerous aura, which was definitely bad news for a certain Namikaze.

* * *

><p>Kushina entered the shared office of <em>Daily Notion<em> with a swagger and walked towards Minato's desk. Now, if Minato was anyone else than himself, the blonde and cheerful man he was, he would have understood that the way Kushina walked screamed trouble.

But he didn't and he smiled instead, standing up from his seat. "Kushina? What a surprise! What are you–"

"What am I to you?" Kushina said coldly, coming to stand right in front of his desk.

"Huh?" Minato questioned.

Kushina cursed at his blondeness. "Am I just a fling, a one-night-stand, a weekend lover, or do you have deeper feelings for me, like love me or something?" she asked, momentarily forgetting his confession of a couple of nights ago.

"Do we really have to have this conversation here? This is where I work," Minato said uneasily. He may have never cared about what people thought, but this was getting old. He was tired of the people close to him barging inside his workplace and embarrassing him by talking about personal affairs in the presence of his coworkers. Besides, these were his last days in the paper and he felt obliged to finish some of his work before quitting. Come Monday, he would be working with Inoichi on the radio station.

"Answer me, Namikaze, or I will cause a stir," Kushina warned him. Her eyes shined dangerously. "You know I can."

Minato sighed in defeat. There was no way he could ever win an argument with this woman. Uzumakis were so boneheaded. "Fine. I love you, but I don't get what does this have to do with your visit of sorts."

Kushina crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "Well, here's what I think. If you loved me, as you say, you wouldn't freaking inform the entire world that we had sex!"

Minato ignored the all-too-familiar stares they were getting from his colleagues. "I'm sorry, I didn't know I was to keep it a sealed secret. And I only told Inoichi. 'Tis not my fault he's a gossip."

Kushina gave him an incredulous look. "_Inoichi_? You told Inoichi freakin' Yamanaka that we had sex?" She laughed sarcastically. "So that's what you do when you love someone? You let the entire world know that you've slept with them?"

Minato had had enough by that moment. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

"You're ruining my reputation as a feminist, that's what got into me!" she exclaimed. "By spreading the word, you made me look like a... a _toy_ in the hands of a man! You can't do that!"

His features softened. "I had no such intention, honestly. Besides, everyone knows we're together already, so they suspect that we sleep together. So what's the difference with them actually knowing it?" he asked.

Kushina stared at him intensely for a moment, before she sighed and dropped her shoulders. "You're right. I'm sorry, Minato. I'm just being paranoid. You know, with the trip to my parents and all…"

She was surprised when Minato hugged her, albeit briefly. "'Tis okay. I understand. How about we meet at my place tonight and talk about it?" Seeing the distrustful look she was giving him, he added, "I'll bring ramen."

Kushina laughed despite herself. "You got yourself a deal, Namikaze."

Minato smiled and sat back down on his seat as Kushina made her way to the exit. "And for the record, I didn't tell him. He kind of figured it out," Minato called after her.

Kushina glared at him over her shoulder. "Of course he did. Not everyone is a prude like you, Minato."

* * *

><p>Minato was sweating nervously as he watched Kushina drum her fingers rhythmically on her upper arm with a thoughtful expression on her face. It was the 25th of November, namely Thanksgiving, aka the day they were going to travel all the way up to Boston to meet Kushina's parents. The thought itself wasn't very comforting, but Minato was an optimist.<p>

"Where'd you find a car?"

"It's Inoichi's," he replied, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

"It's not," Kushina said firmly, shifting her gaze towards him. "Inoichi doesn't do shit if not for money and I doubt that you bribed him. Whose is it?"

Minato pressed his lips together. "Yeah, um, well, you see…"

Kushina shook her head and opened the door to the passenger's seat. "So, you're driving us to my parents' house with a stolen car and you're still hoping to make a good impression? Praise be to your courage, Minato."

Minato frowned and slipped in the driver's seat. "I didn't steal it."

Kushina rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But since we're on the subject, why do you have a driver's license even though you don't have a car?"

He smirked. "That's for me to know and for you to find out, Uzumaki."

Kushina secured her seatbelt and shot him a sultry look. "Shut up and drive, Namikaze."

Minato obliged and started the engine, setting route for Boston to meet his could-be in-laws. A shiver ran down his spine. Man, life was a _bitch_.

* * *

><p>About half an hour into the road trip, Kushina decided it was good time to give Minato a head's up for what he would be facing in a few hours. Her parents weren't the most normal of people, or the easiest to get along with either, and he needed to know how to deal with them properly, without embarrassing himself.<p>

She was certain that they would disapprove of him. Her father was a renowned cardiologist, retired for the last two years, and her mother used to be a nurse before she met him. They had made quite a fuss over her decision to not follow her ancestors' footprints and become a doctor herself, so she could only imagine what commotion Minato's appearance would cause, with his job and ambitions. But they had been the ones to initiate the meeting, so it was only fair that they dealt with the consequences. Kushina even allowed herself a small smirk at the thought of pissing her parents off a little more.

But then the thought that they might stop funding her studies crossed her mind, effectively erasing any plans she may had to annoy her parents to the utmost. Kushina groaned mentally; her life sucked.

"Are you nervous?"

She turned abruptly at Minato's question. "About what?"

He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road. Kushina didn't know why someone who didn't own a car would have a driver's license in the first place. And the damned Namikaze wasn't telling her. "Me meeting your parents."

"Well, I have every right to be," she replied with a sigh.

"Oh, come on. They can't be that bad."

"Oh, they are, trust me." She wrinkled her nose. "Look, Minato. I'm sorry for all this. I wasn't planning to ever introduce them to you."

Minato raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Why not? Don't you think that what we have could evolve into something, I don't know, serious?"

Kushina looked surprised and slightly offended. "Of course I do! It's just that… Never mind, you'll understand when you meet them. My parents are…" She paused, searching for the right word.

"Unique?"

Kushina gave him a pointed look. "Weird's more like it."

He laughed and turned his attention back towards the road. "So, tell me a little about them."

"Well, the Uzumakis have a family tradition of becoming doctors. And, being naturally stubborn people, they despise anyone that declines from that. Thus, they are not really happy that I'm studying art, instead of medicine. So, don't mention the guitar, unless you're forced to."

"Alright. Anything else?"

"If my dad asks you what you do for a living, by all means, _don't_ tell him that you work with Inoichi," she warned. "Inoichi's name is taboo around here. Tell him that you still work in the newspaper."

"Why do they dislike him?" Minato asked.

"You know Inoichi, Minato. Do you think anyone in a pseudo-aristocratic family would think well of him? He's the black sheep of his clan and while they don't really have a problem with it, the Uzumakis do. Our families have been friends since forever. The Yamanakas are more open-minded that my family, so they don't really care about his job. Mine, on the other hand…"

Minato reached over to place his hand on hers. "Hey, don't worry. It's gonna be fine. How bad could it go?" he asked rhetorically.

Kushina smiled uneasily. _You have no idea, Minato. You have no idea._

* * *

><p>Three hours later, the young couple was standing in front of a two-story house with a large yard, in Weymouth, Boston. Minato had to admit though, despite all of Kushina's jabs about their vicious personalities, that her parents had taste. The house was well-kept and the garden was simply gorgeous. He had a feeling that he would like those people – after all, he liked <em>all<em> people – but Kushina's words kept playing in his head.

They walked up to the front porch slowly. Kushina took her time trying to prepare herself and Minato for the upcoming meeting with her parents, but there didn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. She knew that, even if they had a whole year to prepare themselves for this inevitable meeting, she was now ready as she ever would be.

_Damn you, Minato,_ she thought with a frown. If Minato hadn't picked up her phone that morning, they wouldn't be in this uncomfortable situation at the moment. In all truth, Kushina never really planned to introduce her parents to Minato. Even if they eventually got married, she still would feign their death, just to make sure that he didn't have to withstand their critical eye and interrogation. Because she knew for a fact that they _would_ interrogate him.

Kushina blinked in shock. Marriage? Where had that come from? Shaking her head and pushing that thought aside, she turned towards the man walking next to her, who was currently admiring her mother's gardenias in awe. Leave it to Minato to concentrate on such trivial things when he was a step away from his doom.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked him worriedly.

Minato flashed her his famous grin and Kushina was glad that she had fallen in love with such a man. "Let's go get 'em."

Kushina couldn't contain the happiness and confidence he had provided her with at that moment and she took his face in her hands, effectively locking her lips with his. Minato smiled into the kiss and snaked his arms around her in an attempt to bring her closer.

Their heated embrace was interrupted soon though, by a door opening and a loud gasp. The two adults pulled away abruptly, with equal blushes on their faces at the realization of being caught while making-out. Minato lowered his gaze to the ground and scratched the back of his head uneasily, while Kushina forced a small smile on her lips.

"Hey, mom."


	8. Valentine's Day Is Over

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt<strong> _undying love_ & _after the fall _by two steps from hell  
><strong>warnings <strong>minato & inoichi's potty mouth  
><strong>pairings <strong>minato/kushina  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>I don't own naruto  
><strong>notice <strong>I've no idea about NYC, so I'm just guessin' that Kushina and Minato can afford living in Soho, Manhattan. Yeahh, only ten days since the last update. And it's an extra-long chapter. I'm getting better, aren't I? You're pretty much gonna hate me for this chapter, but I needed some serious drama over here and voila!  
><strong>notice2<strong> Inoichi is _the_ friend. Love him or die. (Don't you adore the way he talks?)  
><strong>notice3<strong> Italics are flashbacks. And drunk-ish is a weird language.**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>8. Valentine's Day Is Over<strong>

_"How deep will I have to fall before I find the world again?"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey, mom."<em>

"_Don't you 'hey, mom' me, Kushina! What are you doing, snogging in the front porch where everyone can see you?" She stepped aside quickly to let them in. "Come inside, now."_

_Kushina and Minato exchanged a wary look and walked inside the house. As soon as the door was shut behind them, a shiver ran down Kushina's spine._

* * *

><p>Kushina woke up with a start. It took her a few moments to realize that they were still in the car, driving back to New York. It was raining heavily and it was difficult to drive in this weather. She turned to look at Minato, who was staring straight ahead, as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and hummed a tune silently.<p>

The Thanksgiving dinner at the Uzumaki household had been, for all intents and purposes, a disaster.

She felt like an iron fist had closed itself over her heart and was squeezing it, trying to crash it into pieces. Minato didn't deserve what her parents had put him through that day. He had been literally humiliated and embarrassed in front of people he was seeing for the first time in his life. And still, the man hadn't said anything to insult them or even lost his temper during the dinner.

Kushina didn't know whether it was a good or a bad thing. She had known Minato for a good three months now, and she had never seen him lose control over anything. Sure, there was his mental breakdown a few weeks ago, when he had gone on a cooking spree, but other than that, he was always calm and collected. Still, if she had been in his shoes, she would have definitely killed someone back there.

* * *

><p>"<em>And since we're on the subject, what do you do for a living, Minato?"<em>

_Minato set down his fork and knife. "I am working at Daily Notion, a local New York newspaper. I'm currently a photographer, mostly taking pictures for main events of NYC."_

"_Is the payment satisfactory?"_

"_Dad," Kushina said warningly._

"_It's fine, Kushina, I don't mind answering," Minato reassured her with a smile, before turning back to her father. "It's nothing great, but it covers my expenses for the time being."_

"_Then you don't expect to work there for the rest of your life?"_

"_Ah, no. Actually, I just got a job offer from a–" Minato was cut off as Kushina kicked his shin under the table._

"_You were saying?" Kushina's father pressed on._

_Minato shot an apologetic look towards Kushina. He wouldn't lie, she knew that. Minato never lied. In fact, he was the most honest person she had ever met. Kushina sighed inaudibly. They would just have to make do with the truth. Que sera sera._

"_I'll soon be working with Inoichi Yamanaka in Konoha Radio."_

_Kushina's parents both visibly stiffened at the mention of Inoichi's name. Silence passed the table for a few minutes, before Kushina's father recovered, and verbally attacked Minato. "It's no surprise that you're his associate. After all, you don't seem to be much different from him."_

* * *

><p>Kushina sighed at the memory of a few hours ago. How did her father have such nerve to insult their guest in his face? Since Kushina could remember herself, they had been adamant about good manners in the presence of others and, while they weren't the most nice people she knew, they had never been impolite. What had gotten into them?<p>

It's not like Minato was a punk. He was a kind and smiling person, who addressed them politely and didn't do anything to offend them. But it seemed that his sole presence there was offending them for some reason. It was simply infuriating. They were acting as if they were damn loyalty and Minato was a peasant.

Yet, for some reason, she couldn't take her mother's words off her mind.

* * *

><p>"<em>Are you serious about this boy, Kushina?"<em>

_Kushina was taken aback by the question. "Mom, I'm twenty-two. It's not like we're getting married or anything."_

"_But you're seeing him seriously," she said._

"_Of course I am. It's not like I would play with someone's feelings and then throw them away!" Kushina exclaimed, her patience wearing off by the second. These people really had a knack for annoying her. She briefly wondered how in the world she had managed to spend eighteen years of her life with them._

_Her mother's eyes narrowed. "I don't want you to go out with him anymore."_

_Kushina snorted. "Like you have the right to do that."_

"_You are my daughter and I have the obligation to protect you from those meaning your harm," she said sternly._

_Kushina gaped. "My harm? What the hell are you talking about? Minato loves me; he would never do anything to hurt me."_

_She wasn't sure why she had used those words. Maybe she wanted to convince herself that they were true. That she had been the luckiest girl, who found the perfect guy to spend her life with. But Kushina was a realist and she didn't believe in fables. She knew, deep inside her, that you can't really trust anyone but yourself. Because, sooner or later, everyone will hurt you._

"_Don't you see it, Kushina? He's hurting you already! He's keeping you from your studies and you've become friends with Inoichi! How in the world is he helping you?"_

"_He makes me happy, okay?" Kushina yelled. "He gives me everything you have taken away from me! He makes me feel free, loved and important! You've never given a shit about me, but he does! He's the only one who really cares for me!"_

"_You think it's us who don't care about you? We've raised you to become useful person in this society and that's how you repay us?" Kushina's mother sighed angrily, her eyes blazing. "You're so blinded by your feelings that you can't see the truth; he's just using you to get what he wants, Kushina!"_

"_He's not! You don't know him! And you don't know me either! You are the one who's blinded by your die-hard opinions and your inability to accept anything different from you! Don't you think it's finally time that you looked outside and saw how things have changed? These are different times now, mom!"_

_There was silence between the two women for a few minutes. The only sound in the kitchen was the sound coming from the rain outside. The storm was getting worse by the minute. And somewhere in the pit of her stomach, Kushina knew that the sentimental storm was way worse than the natural one._

_Finally, her mother spoke. "I didn't want to do this, Kushina, but you're giving me no choice. It's either him or your studies."_

_Kushina's eyes widened. "Excuse me? Are you blackmailing me? What kind of parent would do that?"_

"_The kind of one that wants the best for their children. I'm not going to let you throw away your life for that man. He is clearly not worthy of you."_

_Kushina could feel tears of anger welling up in her eyes. "I hate you," she said and ran out the room._

* * *

><p>"Kushina, are you okay?"<p>

Minato's voice snapped her out of her somber thoughts and she looked at him with tears running down her cheeks. She wasn't even aware she had been crying.

Minato pulled over the car in the side of the road and turned off the engine. It wasn't a common phenomenon to see the tough Uzumaki cry, especially in the presence of another. He looked at her with a worried expression on his face. "Baby, what's wrong?" he asked, taking her face in his hands.

Kushina pulled away from his touch, shaking her head violently.

Minato unfastened his seatbelt to have more freedom in his movements and he leaned towards her. "If this is about your parents, then you don't have to worry. It's gonna be okay."

At that, Kushina snapped. "No, it's not gonna be fucking okay! I'm fucking tired of you always saying that! You're not a wonder-worker, Minato, and you can't solve every single problem in this world!"

Minato was dumbfounded. In all the time they had been friends and a couple, he had never seen Kushina out of control. Sure, she had a short temper, but she never actually got mad. It was more of a thing to maintain her reputation as a tough chick. "What are you talking about? Did your parents tell you something? What is it?" he asked with a pleading look in his eyes.

Kushina didn't reply as she pushed the door open and stepped out of the car and into the heavy rain. She couldn't be near anyone at that moment. If she spent one more minute with him, she would say things that would definitely hurt him. And hurting Minato emotionally was the last thing on her list of things she wanted to do in her life. The man was a life-saver. He had pulled her out of the dark; he deserved to be happy, not heartbroken.

Minato didn't waste any time before getting out as well and following straight after her into the night. It was well past midnight and the highway was relatively empty of vehicles. Thanksgiving was a holiday to be spent with family and friends after all, and not by driving in the middle of the night with a heavy rain going on. He was glad though that they were alone, because Kushina was obviously unstable at the moment and he didn't want her pulling anything crazy off.

"Kushina! Wait up! Hey! Where're you going? Hold on!"

His cries didn't faze her at all and she kept walking, her tears mixing with the rain falling down on her. She had to get away. Uncaring of the fact that she was being soaked to the bone, Kushina tried to focus on some direction, to find where to go. She was too caught up in her thoughts when Minato finally caught up with her and placed his hands on her shoulders to prevent her from walking away.

"Kushina, please, tell me what's wrong," he pleaded, straining to look into her eyes through the thick rain. "Is this about the dinner? You don't have to worry about it; I'm not offended. I deal with people who question the quality of my job every day. Really, it's not a big deal."

Kushina's head shot up abruptly. "Do you have no pride, Minato?"

"Huh?" He was taken aback by the question. What was wrong with her? One moment she seemed like a lost child and the next she was an aggressive panther, ready to pounce on whoever was threatening her.

"You seem so carefree all the time and you never give a shit about anything that people say about you," Kushina explained with an unsteady voice. "Do you not care at all? How can you stand being insulted into your face and not doing anything to fight back?"

"Life isn't about fighting–"

"It's a goddamn dog–eat–dog world, Minato! You either fight back or let yourself be pushed to the ground!" Kushina yelled into the night. She could hear her voice echo in the darkness of the plain, rising above the sound of the downpour.

Minato's face suddenly hardened, as if a string was being pulled inside of his body. "If that's the world we live in, then I'm fighting to change it."

"Don't pull your Aquarius bullshit on me!" Kushina howled angrily at him. "I'm not Inoichi and you can't fool me, Minato! I can see past your fucking smile and stupid words! You're a hypocrite! You're a fucking hypocrite, you hear me?"

She regretted those words the moment they passed her lips, but she knew it was too late to take them back.

She was screaming by now, punching his chest violently. She took out all her fury on him, letting all those years of bottling up her feelings rush out of her like a tornado. Minato didn't push her away, for he could feel the strain in her hits; she had to take it out or she would go crazy. And he was more than willing to take a few hits in order to help her feel better.

Kushina was breathing heavily as she assaulted Minato, vacating her body and soul from unwanted and choking emotions she had kept hidden for years. Her rapid breathing came to cease after a few minutes and her fists rested tiredly against Minato's solid chest. As her body shook with a new wave of sobs, Kushina leaned forward and cried against the base of his neck.

Minato was staggered by her actions but placed his arms around her shaking form nonetheless, providing her with comfort in the only way he knew how to. The sight of Kushina broken and ragged was unbearable to him, for he loved her too damn much to stand watching her suffer. As the rain fell down on them, he tightened his grip on her, trying to show her somehow that he was by her side. Minato knew she would not believe him if he mouthed the words, so he hoped that his actions would speak loud enough for her to hear.

"Take me home," Kushina whispered into the crook of his neck, her voice barely above a whisper.

Minato didn't need to be told twice. He pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead and led her back to the car, lying idle at the roadside. Kushina slipped on the passenger's without a word and Minato returned to his default position behind the steering wheel. The moisture from their bodies slowly sank in the seats and he was sure he was going to hear it from Inoichi for getting his car wet. But at the moment, all that mattered to him was to get Kushina home safely.

* * *

><p>The rest of the drive home was quieter than before, as each occupant of the car was preoccupied with their own thoughts. Minato was trying to decipher Kushina's uncharacteristic behavior, while Kushina was simply drowning in a bubble of hate; towards her parents, towards Minato, but mostly, towards herself. There was a nasty feeling on the tip of her stomach, making her feel nauseous.<p>

They arrived at New York late at night, but the city was vivid as usual. The rain was long gone by the time they reached the city's suburbs, but they got stuck in late night traffic, causing them to waste an hour trying to reach Kushina's apartment. They didn't exchange a word up until Minato parked temporarily in front of Kushina's apartment building and escorted her up to her apartment. She was rather disturbed from the day's events and he didn't feel like leaving her alone for a second. Though he doubted that she would let him spend the night with her.

And he was proven right when he tried to step inside her apartment and Kushina blocked his entrance with her body. Minato raised an eyebrow.

"I…" Kushina stuttered, not really knowing how to start. "I'm sorry, Minato. I just need to be alone right now."

Minato watched her closely with his big blue eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked and Kushina felt like such a terrible person at that moment.

"I don't know," she said, rubbing her damp arms in order to warm herself. She could already feel the beginnings of a cold inside her wet body.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Minato pressed on. "I mean, you don't seem that well, and we could talk about–"

The pressure of Kushina's palm against his chest was enough to shut him up and direct his eyes at her face again. Kushina's features betrayed her emotional and physical weariness. "_Please_," she said with a voice about to crack. "I need some time to think."

Minato felt his breath hitch in his throat. She was breaking up with him. That was it! Kushina never asked for time to be alone and think. If he just knew what had went on at her parents' house behind his back, he could help her get over it and things would be back to normal between them. He was scared of seeing Kushina so vulnerable and lost, but he realized in horror that another fear, one that had been lurking in the shadows of his mind since he had first fallen for her, was coming true; he was losing Kushina.

There were tears burning his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Instead, his façade stiffened. "But Kushina–" he started, but she cut him off before he had any time to argue.

"Please don't call me," Kushina cried, tears daring to escape her hazel eyes. "I'll talk to you when I have things sorted out with my brain."

He was about to object again, tell her that he wasn't going to simply let go of her, that he wanted to help her, but the words died in his throat. Kushina needed her time; he didn't know what the hell it was that had messed her up, but she needed time to sort things out with herself. Even if it pained him to do so, he sighed in defeat and nodded. "Okay. Take all the time you need."

With that he turned around and began walking away. He heard Kushina shut the door with a quiet 'click' and he finally descended down the stairs, tripping and falling and getting back up to his feet. He left the building and headed to the neighborhood's grocery store, which was at the corner of Kushina's street. He purchased a bottle of vodka from the small store and found himself back to the slowly quieting streets of Soho.

That night, when his brain had finally comprehended every bit of information he was provided with that evening, Minato Namikaze did something he had never done in his life before. He brought the vodka bottle in his lips and drank his sorrows away.

* * *

><p>Inoichi whistled happily and jingled his keys between his fingers as he walked up the stairs to his apartment. He was back from a very satisfying evening-turned-to-late-night out with Shikaku and Choza and, surprisingly, he was only buzzed. He mostly blamed Choza for that though, since the man had insisted that they don't get wasted that night, because he had a long shift at the restaurant the day after. But it had been quite some time since the three of them had gone out for drinks, so Inoichi let it go. He wasn't in the mood for getting trashed, anyways.<p>

But as he walked up to his apartment door, the last thing he was expecting to see on a Thanksgiving late night was Minato Namikaze, half-passed out, soaked and fully drunk on vodka on his doorstep.

It took all in Inoichi not to break out in laughter when he saw the younger blonde swaying his head from side to side and butchering The Beatles' song by singing off-key, "'S there anybody goin' to listen to my story? All 'bout a girl who came t' stay… She's th' kind o' girl you want so much 't makes you sorry, bu' still you won't regret a single day…" So instead, he cleared his throat and stared down at Minato.

"The hell you doing here, Namikaze?"

The drunken blond looked up at the familiar voice too quickly, causing everything within his eyesight to blur. It took him a few moments to manage to see straight and when he did, Inoichi noted that his eyes were red. And it didn't take a genius to figure out that it wasn't only because of the alcohol.

"She dumped me, 'Ichi," Minato slurred, the pain obvious in his sapphire orbs. "She dumped me an' I let her do it. I didn't even say anythin'. I jus' stared like an idiot an' watched 'er dump me." He chuckled amidst his drunkenness. "I'm such a wimp."

Inoichi sighed. "That, I second." Unlocking his front door, he reached down and slumped Minato's arm over his shoulders, while he supported him by grasping his waist. Minato leaned against Inoichi's much bulkier frame, laughing drunkenly for no reason. Kicking his door open and stepping in, Inoichi said, "Come on, kid. Let's get ya fixed up."

He dragged Minato's limp body inside his apartment and dropped him unceremoniously on the old couch in the middle, before heading inside the kitchen to make Minato a coffee in order to sober him up. Inoichi had had his own fair share of dissolute nights and hangovers in his life, and he knew that Minato would be in one hell of a state the next morning, but also he knew for a fact that a strong dose of caffeine would do a good enough job to sober him up and, with a couple of painkillers, he would be as good as new. The blond frowned when he realized that he only had instant coffee, but shrugged afterwards; anything should do at that point.

Back in the living room – if you could call it one – Minato was sprawled on Inoichi's uncomfortable couch face-first, his half-lidded eyes scanning tiredly the messy area he was in. He had been at Inoichi's place once before, but he never had a chance to inspect his accomodation, because they were gone as soon as they'd come. His first impression had been, however, that the place was a sty.

It comprised of four separate areas, namely the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and the main room. The kitchen was incredibly small, the bedroom barely had space for a double bed and a closet, and the bathroom had enough space to storage a toilet, a sink and a shower. The main area, however, was a large space, almost as big as the rest of the apartment, with giant windows and many pieces of furniture. Although most of them were junk, making Minato wonder why the hell Inoichi kept it. He had money to buy all the shit he wanted and he still opted to live in that crappy apartment. The building itself was decent, but Inoichi's apartment _sucked_. Though Minato supposed it had something to do with the fact that Inoichi was as sloppy as Kushina when it came to housework.

And there was also the fact that, if you want something fixed, you have to pay for it, and Inoichi was very sensitive when it came to where he spent his money. If Minato had to guess, he'd say that the man wouldn't even _eat_ if he could do without it, all to avoid wasting his precious bucks.

Averting his gaze from the untidy and slightly stinking room, Minato looked at the mug that was placed on the small coffee table before him. He felt Inoichi lift him up into a sitting position and he nodded towards the cup, before seating himself on a chair by the wall and placing a cigarette he produced from his pocket on his lips.

"Drink up," he ordered, igniting the white stick with his lighter. "'Tis gonna sober you up."

Still in a state of daze, Minato picked up the hot mug and brought it to his lips, sipping the beverage slowly. Inoichi frowned as he watched the younger man cough as he tasted the black liquid, mentally noting that he could have given him shit to drink and Minato still wouldn't have known the difference. After forcing the blond to swallow every bit of coffee the cup contained, Inoichi was lighting his fourth cigarette as he waited for the caffeine to work its magic.

It didn't take long, and soon Minato's eyes were more focused and he wasn't wobbling anymore, but he actually managed to stand straight. Though he was still slumped all over the couch, he seemed stable, and Inoichi took it as a sign to start a conversation.

"So," he spoke up firmly, earning the disheveled man's attention quickly. "What the fuck happened to make ya drink like that? You know yer a lightweight." Even though he already knew what happened more or less, and despite the fact that if he had _wanted_ to listen to people's problems, he would have become a psychologist, Inoichi intended to hear out what Minato had to say. The loud blond was growing on him, and for some reason, he felt obliged to help him.

For the umpteenth time, Inoichi reminded himself that he'd have to make some adjustments to his perception of friendship.

Minato didn't even try to look offended at Inoichi's comment and leaned back on the couch, his head comfortably resting against the arm. "She broke up with me," he said slowly, his mouth tasting funny from mixing alcohol with caffeine.

Inoichi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I realized that much. What's the story?"

Minato shook his head, groaning as the action made his head ache. He placed his middle and forefingers against his temples and rubbed in slow motions in order to sooth the forming headache. After a few moments of massage proved to be no good, he sighed. "We went to Boston," Minato finally said, earning a wide-eyed look from the man across the room. "Her parents invited us for dinner, since it's Thanksgiving and all. Some shit happened during the meal, then her mom told her some stuff, and I ended up driving a fucked up Kushina back here."

Inoichi contemplated for a minute, before asking, "What did they tell her?"

"I don't know, man. All I know is that, one moment I was in their living room, and the next I was on the highway to New York with a fucking storm going on and Kushina weeping on her seat."

The older man seemed to snap at that. "Is my car okay?" He had lended the car to Minato only because he had promised to take over the radio show for a week by himself, offering Inoichi a paid week-off. But that didn't mean that he didn't fear for his car's fate. After all, he had worked hard to get it.

Minato growled angrily at the man and sat up abruptly, immediatelly regretting it, for the jolt sent another wave of pain to his head. "For fuck's sake, Inoichi! I'm telling you she dumped me for no reason and all you can think about is your fucking car?"

Inoichi held his hands up in defense. "Sorry, man, I didn't know you'd take it personally!" he said in a rush. The last thing he wanted at the moment was to pick up a fight with Minato. "Look, I'm tryna help ya out here. No reason to get mad at me."

Minato sighed again. "I'm sorry. It's just that… It all happened so fast, I didn't even have time to react! Damn, if only I knew what the hell her mom told her. I could talk this out with her, but she wouldn't tell me," he trailed off, cursing under his breath. "Fuck."

Inoichi took a long drag from his cigarette and looked at him. "What'd you expect, man? That they'd roll out the red carpet for ya? These motherfuckers are crazy, Minato. They're the kind of people you wanna stay on their good side, and to tell you the truth, banging their daughter isn't the way to do it."

"How was I supposed to know that, huh?" Minato argued. "Kushina never told me anything 'bout them and, frankly, _you_ didn't either. How should I know that they'd try to dig out every flaw I have and throw it in my face?"

Inoichi shrugged, leaning back on his seat. "I thought I'd tell you, but you'd just call me biased."

Minato scowled. "Probably, yeah, but you still should have told me!"

Inoichi rolled his neck in an attempt to relax his stiff muscles there and prevent himself from pouncing on Minato. "Listen, kid. I couldn't care less 'bout what the fuck these bastards did, since they hate me for no reason and the feeling's mutual. But if you wanna get things straight with your chick, go talk to her. There ain't no use complainin' to me."

"Don't you think I tried that?" Minato said in desperation. "She refused to tell me what happened and asked me for some time alone. So, I just gave her that. She told me not to call, and I won't. If she wants time to think, then I'll just have to deal with it."

Inoichi watched him for a moment, before reaching forward and putting off his cigarette in an ashtray. He stood up and dusted off his pants, before walking up to Minato and patting his shoulder in comfort. "Well, then. Seems like you don't need no shrink, so I'll go to bed," he said and walked into his bedroom, before calling over his shoulder, "And there're no spare blankets, so I don't suggest you spend the night here."

Minato sighed and removed himself from the couch, trying not to make any sudden movements that might aggravate his headache. He felt a little dizzy still, but most of the alcohol's effects were gone for the moment, leaving him simply with a bitter aftertaste and a horrible hangover. Dragging his weary feet towards the front door, Minato wondered just how the hell he was going to make it back to his place. He sneaked a look at Inoichi's couch and shook his head; he wouldn't spend the night on that piece of shit, that was for sure. He was half-way out of the door when Inoichi's voice was heard from the bedroom.

"And remember, Namikaze; if my car ain't parked outside Konoha Radio tomorrow mornin', there will be _hell_ to pay."

All Minato could do was send back a handful of colorful profanities at Inoichi, before stumbling completely out of his pathetic excuse of a home.


	9. True Friends Stab You In The Front

**status **ongoing  
><strong>prompt <strong>there isn't one.  
><strong>warnings <strong>language  
><strong>pairings <strong>Minato/Kushina  
><strong>disclaimer <strong>I don't own Naruto.  
><strong>notice <strong>Time sure flies fast, no? It's been three weeks since my last update and I thought it was only two days ago. Unfortunately, somewhere along the road, I lost my inspiration and it's a miracle I managed to put this chapter together. I intended to make it longer and include the little heart-2-heart as well, but I can't get to writing that part. I hope you'll enjoy Inoichi's role in this chapter. Sorry for the delay, and please check out my profile for more information!  
><strong>notice2<strong> There's also a small portion of music in there! Boo-yah!

* * *

><p><strong>9<strong>**. True Friends Stab You In The Front**

"_Does this deafening silence mean nothing to anyone but me?"_

* * *

><p>"…<em>And if you want to talk about it anymore, lie here on the floor and cry on my shoulder. I'm a friend.<em>" Minato finished his song by playing the last chord and sighed quietly to himself, before returning to the microphone. "And that was the last song for today, folks. It's called _Cry_ and it was brought to you by Minato Namikaze. So, have a nice day and don't forget to tune in tomorrow at 11 o'clock."

With the press of a button, the auto-playlist was on, where it would remain until it was time for the next broadcast of the station, which came up about an hour and a half after Minato and Inoichi's show.

Of course, Inoichi wasn't at the station that morning – or the three prior to this one for that matter. Since Minato had decided to suck it up and go on with his daily routine in order to keep his thoughts from his pending relationship with Kushina, Inoichi took up on the favour Minato owed him, and took a paid week off from work, leaving the broadcast solely on the younger man's shoulders.

That was three days ago, and Minato still had two more shows to broadcast by himself, before Inoichi returned from his work permit. During his absence, Minato hadn't seen the older blond at all, and he couldn't decide whether it was a good thing or not. Having Inoichi out of his hair at a time of desperation and post-break-up trauma was a blessing, but he couldn't help the sickening feeling in his stomach. Because, whenever Inoichi was silent or absent, it usually meant that he was up to something, and that something most times meant trouble. And for some reason, Minato always seemed to be caught in the middle of Inoichi's schemes and having to bail him out. It was not an activity he was rather fond of partaking in.

Minato sighed and slung his guitar case over his shoulder, and made his way out of the recording room. He was oddly the only one out of their group who was working today and, thus, he had no choice but to play only acoustic songs of his and some classics performed by their respective bands or vocalists. It was weird that everyone had taken a leave on a Thursday, but he just shrugged it off. It was the middle of December anyways, and many people had been coming down with the flu.

It had been exactly two weeks since the Thanksgiving incident and his unfortunate break-up with Kushina. Two weeks since he had last seen the woman he loved with all his might. Seriously, Minato had no idea how he was able to cope with the heart-wrenching feeling that was residing in him for the past two weeks.

True to his word, Minato had done nothing to seek Kushina during the time of their separation. He knew that she had to set things first with herself before talking things out with him. But she was taking more time than Minato had originally anticipated, and it was driving him up the wall. While he may not have looked like it, Kushina's lack of appearance was taking its toll on the blond musician.

On the first days after their break-up, Minato had stayed locked up in his apartment, lamenting the loss of his only serious relationship so far. Then, he had drowned his sorrows in tequila, ending up with a killer hangover the morning after and deciding not to repeat the procedure. So, he had just lain down on his couch and wept, occasionally getting up to find Inoichi standing on his doorstep with a cup of take-out ramen in a paper bag in his hands.

Minato didn't really like people pitying him, but, even though Inoichi continuously pointed out how lame he was, he felt a little better at his friend's presence. He knew that Inoichi didn't do actual friendships – besides Shikaku and Choza, who were his only real friends – and he took pride on the fact that he had managed to befriend a person like Inoichi. The older blond was pretty hesitant when it came to his relationships, on contrast to his loud and obnoxious personality.

On the fourth day of his isolation, Minato had picked up his pieces, patched them together, and headed to work. It seemed that being at the radio station and actually working, took his mind off of Kushina and their fucked up situation. Additionally, their separation had provided Minato with a newfound inspiration, and he focused on his music, writing songs, producing new melodies and slowly working his way up to the top. He had come to realize that his dream was no longer a simple ambition, but something actually tangible, which could become reality only if he concentrated on his goal.

And that, Minato did.

Even though his playlists of these past weeks were mostly comprised of blue and sad songs, the radio show's ratings had skyrocketed during that time. It would seem that his fans had taken a liking into his melancholic songs – he supposed that most people suffered from love affairs – and his sudden change to said genre was very much welcomed.

Minato shook his head as he clenched his jacket around his torso and walked towards Ichiraku. Ever since Kushina had broken up with him, he didn't want to spend more time at home that he had to. Every little corner of the small place reminded him of her – his bed, his kitchen, his couch. So, he usually ate at the small restaurant and then strolled casually around Central Park – intentionally avoiding a certain playground – before he returned home, where he pitched into his music. It wasn't the best routine, but it helped him cope and, eventually, he would learn to go on. For the moment, he was content with having something to get his mind off his failed personal life.

* * *

><p>Kushina was, if possible, in a much worse state than Minato. Having realized just how stupid she had been for breaking up with the only man who had managed to put up with her for the sole reason of her mother's nasty remarks and empty threats was driving her nuts. She felt rage towards her parents and, mostly, towards herself.<p>

However, despite everything, she knew that her mother's threats were anything _but_ empty. She had learnt first-hand just how vicious were the people that had spawned her – a quality that she quite proudly possessed – and there was no way in Hell that they would let her continue with her studies while she was dating Minato. Certainly, she could lie to them about breaking up with him and go on with both her relationship and her studies, but Kushina was prideful woman who refused to stoop so low.

During the first week of their break-up, Kushina couldn't concentrate on anything besides Minato, their wrecked relationship – the fault for which was entirely hers – and everything that had been said on that fateful day of November. It had taken Kushina quite some time until she had finally analyzed all the words her mother had spoken that night, and come up with a conclusion; she was not going to let anyone control her life anymore.

Sure, maybe some things that had been said that night were truer than true – Minato would not always be there for her, and chances were that their story would end up not so prettily. But he was, by no means, a threat to her well being. Like he had told her numerous times, he had deep feelings for her, ones that treaded towards love, and Kushina couldn't just overlook that. From the time she had known him, Minato had never once lied to her, and she was pretty sure that he wouldn't start now. Besides, simply the fact that he had endured her parents' interrogation _and_ her mental breakdown on Thanksgiving, and he had still expressed his desire to be with her, they were enough proof that the man was serious about her.

Although, in order for them to retain an honest and strong relationship, Kushina knew that she would have to, at least once, open her heart to him and tell him all about her past and family. It was not a procedure she was looking forward to, but it needed to be done, or else their relationship would be doomed. Minato was entirely honest towards her, and it made her feel guilty knowing that she kept things from him.

But there was another thought that lingered in Kushina's troubled mind. What if Minato didn't want to be with her anymore? He had assured her that she could take all the time she needed in order to sort things out with herself, but she thought that he would at least have made an appearance during those last two weeks.

The particular subject had kept her thoughts occupied for many days, and she was still thinking about it when her doorbell rang that Thursday morning while she was having her morning coffee and skipping her morning classes. She had always been an A+ student, therefore she had the right to skip class every once in a while. Opening the door, Kushina saw the one person she never expected to see: Inoichi. She must have looked surprised because he wasted no time.

"Kushina, we need to talk. I think you broke Minato."

She looked confused. "Broke him? What do you mean?"

"I _mean_ that he's a freakin' wreck. And it's degrading for the male species to leave 'im in such a state!" he explained with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kushina rolled her eyes and stepped aside, letting him into her apartment. "Keep your testosterone out of my place, will you, Inoichi?"

Inoichi stomped inside the apartment and made himself comfortable on Kushina's couch, plopping his feet on her small coffee table. Kushina retrieved her mug from the kitchen and sat down across from the blond man. With a snort, she kicked his feet off the small wooden surface, earning a frown from Inoichi.

"My house, my rules," Kushina said simply, not bothering to hide her smirk. She didn't know why, but she had a knack for annoying Inoichi. Perhaps it was because the man was slowly corrupting Minato, or because she absolutely loathed his obscene love for money. "Now, get to the point. I don't exactly have all day, you know."

Inoichi raised an eyebrow. "Really? Seems to me that you're just slackin' off."

Kushina's eyes narrowed. "Oh? And that's coming from the person who hasn't broadcasted a single show in a whole week?"

"Listenin' to the poor guy in the morning, aren't ya?" Inoichi teased with a smirk. "Guess you're not as tough as ya seem, Uzumaki. And not that's it's any of your business, but the kid offered to take over the show for a week, so I got a paid week off an' I'm enjoyin' it."

She rolled her eyes at the nickname he had given Minato. She knew for a fact that the man before her was practically only a day older than Minato, yet he kept referring to him as a baby. Not that she could blame him, though; Minato _did_ act childishly at times.

Kushina crossed her arms over her chest. "Well now, that's sounds exactly like something you'd do. So, what's the occasion? To what do I owe the honour of your presence?"

"I told ya; I think you broke Minato."

She could feel that they had a long way ahead of them. "Broke him _how_, Inoichi?"

"Oh, don't ya play dumb to me, Kushina. You've listened to his broadcasts, you know exactly what I mean."

She did. Minato's playlists as of last week had been terribly sad and they brought tears to her eyes whenever she listened to them. It was clear to see that all of those new songs were written about her and their break-up, and it made her feel so guilty. She was the only one responsible for Minato's current state, though she was willing to bet anything that deep in his mind, he was thankful that she was providing him with such inspiration. Kushina had to suppress a chuckle; that man was admirable. Even during the saddest moments of his life, he still didn't give up and sulk. He just got to his feet and kept going.

"Yeah, I did," she finally admitted. "But that still doesn't explain why _you_'re here today."

Inoichi sighed deeply. "Look, Minato's my mate, and I need 'im to be at his fullest potential when we're on the work. Now, I'd ask 'im to keep his freakin' problems at home, but the guy's too emotional to do just that. So, ya either get things straight with him, or end this. This situation is pretty messed up for both of ya, I can tell."

If she didn't know better, she'd just say that Inoichi was troubled about his job, thinking that Minato's mental state was affecting it. But Kushina could tell that there was more than what the blond man let on. "From what I hear, our break-up hasn't affected Minato at all. So you have no reason to fear that your ratings might drop or something." She leaned closer to him. "Or maybe you just _care_ about Minato's well being?"

Inoichi visibly stiffened at that. He was not a person that easily made friends, and he had been surprised by the fact that Minato had become one of his buddies without even putting effort to it. But he wasn't going to let Kushina know of that. "Of course not," he said, sounding offended. "I could care less 'bout the idiot's health, but when he shows up at your door at three o'clock in the mornin', drunk and singing Beatles' songs, then you begin to think that the guy isn't in his right state o' mind."

Kushina was taken aback by that statement. "Wait, what?" she asked in bewilderment. "What do you mean he showed up drunk at your place? When did that happen?"

"Two weeks ago, on your supposed break-up," Inoichi said casually. "I had no choice but to take him in and coddle him in order to find out what happened. And, to tell ya the truth, I didn't really like what I heard."

Kushina sighed and buried her face in her hands, trying to get her thoughts in order. She didn't suspect that Minato would open his heart to Inoichi of all people, but she supposed that he needed someone to take it out on. She couldn't blame him, really. After all, she herself had run to Mikoto a couple of days after Thanksgiving, seeking comfort and solace in her best friend. And while she didn't really want to admit it, Inoichi was Minato's closest friend besides herself. Kushina knew better than to push Minato away from him, because in all truth, Inoichi wasn't that bad a person to begin with. Sure, he may was a little obnoxious and extremely nosy and irritating at times, but he was fun to be around nevertheless. Until he opened that mouth of his, that is.

"What do I do, Inoichi?" she asked breathlessly, her voice slightly muffled by her hands. She looked up at him, shocked to find that Inoichi was actually serious about this whole situation.

He sighed. "Look, Uzumaki. I don't like to dance around, so I'll just get out with it. Minato's an emotional wreck. While you may think he's okay, but I get to see him every fucking day, and I can tell when a guy's about to blow. I don't know what's your side of the story, but I know for a fact that it's makin' him feel like shit." He paused and stared hard into her eyes. "We both know that he can't lie to save his life, an' I think you should give him credit for that. But if you want to get 'im back, you gotta tell 'im everything."

Kushina opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off by raising a hand. "I mean _everything_. It's not my place to talk about your family and whatnot, but he needs to know. Whether you two get back together or not, he has the right to know. He might be blond, but he ain't no fool. You owe him that much."

Kushina closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. "I know. I've been postponing it for too long already. But I guess I've run out of time." She smiled apologetically at Inoichi. "Don't worry, I'll talk to him tonight."

Returning to his default self, Inoichi scoffed. "Like hell I worry 'bout that idiot. He's my way to the top, an' I don't plan to let go of a potential money-making machine." He stood up and walked towards the front door. "He's gonna be the musician of the decade, ya know."

Kushina's lips curved in a genuine smile at the honesty surrounding Inoichi's statement and she nodded in agreement. "I know, Yamanaka," she said, watching him nod in return and shut the door behind him. Kushina looked down at her lap, whispering the last part to herself, "Better than anyone."

* * *

><p>Minato was lying flat on his back as Kushina made her way to his apartment to finally have a talk with him later that evening. He was stroking the strings of his guitar absent-mindedly, playing some familiar tunes as he stared at the ceiling. He had only been at home for a few hours and boredom was catching up on him. He briefly wondered how he was spending his free time before he had met Kushina, because at the moment, he couldn't think of anything to do to waste his time.<p>

The magical voice of Elvis was echoing inside his apartment though his stereo when his doorbell rang and Minato took his sweet time getting up and walking up to the door. He wasn't expecting company – he rarely did, anyways – and if it were Inoichi, he could definitely wait a couple of minutes before being granted entrance.

When Minato opened the door to see Kushina standing there, he was certain that he was hallucinating. He hadn't seen her in two full weeks and, even though her image hadn't once fled his mind, he still thought that she looked so much different since their last encounter. She seemed more mature, more certain about herself. He stared at her dumbfounded, unsure of whether to invite her in or not.

Kushina must have sensed his indecision and she smiled apologetically, before saying softly, "Do you have ramen? This could take a while."

Her voice seemed to break the spell he was under, and he nodded curtly, stepping back so she could walk inside his apartment. As Kushina made her way towards the living room, Minato couldn't help but wonder just what the hell was Kushina doing there. He had almost given up on their relationship, and then she had decided to show up. Not that he wasn't elated, of course – after all, his heartbeat accelerated at the mere mention of her – but he felt that something was off. Something about her was changed.

"So, how are you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice void of any emotion as he sat down on his favourite armchair.

Kushina shrugged, taking off her jacket and throwing it casually over the couch's arm. "I've been better. You?"

"Fucked up." The words escaped his lips before he could stop them. He clamped a hand over his mouth and shook his head. "I mean…I…you know…"

To his surprise, Kushina laughed. It felt nice to hear her loud laughter once again, so much that he found himself cursing at his stupidity. It had only been two weeks since he had last seen her, and he was acting as if they'd been apart for years! Inoichi sure had his reasons for calling him a kid. Sometimes, he could be so clueless.

"I'm sorry," she said, making Minato look up in surprise. "I know I shouldn't have done what I did two weeks ago, but it helped me sort things out."

Minato shook his head. "Why are you here?"

She wasn't taken aback by the question. It was obvious how badly the events had affected him, but that was the reason she was there for. She was going to open her heart to him this time, something that she should have done months ago. She wasn't going to hold back anymore. She trusted Minato more than anyone in her life – well, apart from Mikoto – and she felt ready to share all her secrets with him.

"I think it's time I told you everything," Kushina simply said.

After staring at her for what seemed like an eternity, Minato took a deep breath and nodded.


	10. Some Sex, No Drugs & A Lil' Rock N' Roll

**status **ongoing**  
>prompt <strong>my conscience bugging me for not updating**  
>warnings <strong>SMUTT (although non-graphic)**  
>notice <strong>Hello, everyone! It's been a while, huh? I had this chapter half-finished for six months, and I thought it was finally time I gave you _something_ to read. I must warn you, though. This is not a great chapter by any chance. I think Minato seems a little out of character and Kushina's confession's a little too rushed, but that's how I had imagined it in my mind. I mean, they're pretty messed up, after all. As for me, I have a little over a month until my exams and I'm absolutely vivid, and highly optimistic, might I add. Wish me luck, will ya? Next update will definitely be in the beginning of summer, so take care, okay? Chapter ten, here we go!

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><p><strong>10. Some Sex, No Drugs &amp; A Little Rock N' Roll<strong>

_"When life gives you lemons, sometimes you just have to shut up and eat the fucking lemons."_

* * *

><p>Minato drummed his fingers on his guitar's neck impatiently. His eyes were focused on the red-haired woman sitting across from him, who kept toying with her fingernails. He frowned at the sight—Kushina wasn't the one to regularly paint her nails, and black was a color he despised on her. Of course, she always did things to spite him, but this was simply ridiculous.<p>

He would never understand women.

First she came here, with determination flashing in her bright eyes, and now she had fallen into complete silence, like someone died and she didn't know how to break it to him. Minato frowned inwardly. He really hoped nobody had died.

Kushina carefully avoided Minato's penetrating blue eyes by looking at everything in the room but him. Sure, she had gone there in order to open up to him, but it was so much easier said than done. She trusted him, she knew that now, but still, it was really hard for her to talk about her life before moving to New York. The only people who knew the whole story were Mikoto, Fugaku and Inoichi, and they had sort of lived it through, so she never actually had to explain anything to them. But now Minato was in her life for good, and it was only fair that he got to know as well.

_Oh, God. This is absolutely stupid, _Kushina cursed at her own cowardice. She was really losing her touch.

Minato, who had had enough waiting by now—he could be patient when he wanted to, but now was simply _not_ the time for that—let out a impatient sigh. "Will you look at me?"

Kushina's head snapped at his direction and she raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"You've been sitting there for ten minutes, staring at the dust on my coffee table like it's the most interesting thing in the world."

There was the beginning of a smirk on her lips. "Well, I always _did_ find your obsession with cleanliness astounding. And seeing that you obviously haven't cleaned in a while made me think—"

"Stop beating around the bush!" Minato exclaimed, stunning her. In all the time she'd known him, she had never heard Minato yell. Sometimes she wasn't even sure if the man was human with all the patience he possessed. "You took two weeks to yourself to think things out—have you?"

Kushina started. "Yeah, I—"

"Then, talk! Look me in the eye and tell me what you've come here to say! What you're doing is good for neither of us. You need to get it off your chest and I need to hear it." His eyes softened. "Don't torment yourself, Kushina."

Kushina's eyes fell on the floor. "I'm sorry," she said, after taking a deep breath. Under other circumstances, she would have yelled at him for daring to raise his voice, but now was one of the rare times when he was right and she _accepted_ it. "I don't want us to fight on the first day we've seen each other in two weeks."

Minato pouted. She had that knack for making him feel bad so that he wouldn't stay mad at her for long that drove him absolutely livid. But, truth was, he _couldn't_ stay mad at her for long. He loved her way too much to give her the cold shoulder. But it had been two rough weeks, and his patience had worn out. He was an emotional wreck, and even though he wanted to help her feel better, he was in no place to do so.

"Can you play a song?" Kushina whispered, breaking him out of his thoughts.

He was about to protest—because this really _wasn't _the time to be playing songs—when she locked her eyes with his, and all his qualms vanished. Without further delays, he grabbed his guitar and got in position. "Which one?"

Kushina gave him a weak smile. "_Carry You Home_."

Minato was taken aback from her choice of song—it was an extremely melancholy song that he had written in the past two weeks and played live only once in the radio station—but complied nevertheless. After all, she had always told him that his songs helped her calm down and relax, and that was exactly what she needed at the moment.

He took a deep breath and let his fingertips stroke the strings of his guitar lovingly. The strings bent to his maneuvers as if they were puppets and he was their master. As soon as the instrumental part was over, his lips parted and the lyrics fell out, in perfect sync with the melody. As he sat there, playing his guitar, everything vanished around him. The music consumed him, travelled him to higher places—places where nobody who hasn't felt the harmony of the world around him can ever go.

Kushina stood there paralyzed, listening to his melodic voice, and watching the muscles on his arms flex as he hit the chords again and again, never missing a tune. She couldn't help but feel jealous of the blond musician. He was perfect. His extraordinary gift of composing poetic lyrics and performing them just as amazingly was truly astounding. His eyes were closed, and Kushina contemplated letting her tears fall. She had done a lot of crying during the past couple of weeks, to a point where she thought there weren't any more to shed, but it seemed like they were about to overflow once again.

She hummed quietly the lyrics of the song under her breath, hoping that it would give her the boost she needed. Before she knew it, her voice had been raised to match Minato's tone, and they were both perfectly synchronized with each other as they sang. Minato didn't make any move to interrupt the song when Kushina's voice joined his own. He knew it was some sort of release for her to be singing, but he didn't know why exactly she was so tense. He sincerely hoped she would open up soon, though.

"_As strong as you were, tender you go. I'm watching you breathing for the last time. A song for your heart, and when it is quiet_—_I know what it means and I'll carry you home._"He paused, and then played a G chord. "_I'll carry you home._"

The sound echoed in the otherwise silent apartment for a moment, until it finally died down and silence settled among the couple once again. Minato wavered for a moment before opening his blue eyes and, when he did, he could barely register what he was seeing.

Kushina was once again crying, but the sight was quite the opposite of the last time he had witnessed such an act from her. She was not yelling nor making a sound at all. Her face was buried in the palms of her hands and she was sobbing quietly, her shoulders shaking with every sob.

Now, Minato was not a bad person by any means. The worst thing he may have ever done was pull his sister's ponytail, and only after she had been tormenting him for hours. There was no person alive who could characterize him as wicked, not even remotely unkind—Kushina's parents excluded because, well, they hated him. But still, he couldn't help but feel like a rotten bastard who had committed thousands of crimes as he stared silently at Kushina's crying form. Because he knew that those tears were for him.

Against his better judgement, he stood up and, after hastily discarding his guitar, he kneeled before her and tentatively pried her hands away from her face. He immediately regretted doing so though, because Kushina's cheeks were stained with tears and her usually sparkling eyes were red. Not for the first time that night, he felt his heart shatter in a million pieces.

"Kushina," he whispered, grasping her wrists tightly. "Look at me."

The red-haired woman hiccupped, but did not comply. Instead, she pressed her eyelids shut and bowed her head.

Minato would have rolled his eyes, were he not scared out of his mind. Ever since he was a small child, exploring the world through his blue eyes and small hands, he had always wanted the people around him to be smiling. And when they didn't, he took it up to himself to make them forget whatever it was that was troubling them and smile brightly. It was a habit that carried on as years passed and he would not give it up now. With newfound determination, he leaned into her and pressed his lips against Kushina's closed eyelids.

"Please."

The little motion jerked Kushina out of her trance and she opened her hazel eyes to find that there was barely an inch separating them anymore. Maybe that was fate's way of telling them that they hadn't completely screwed up, that there was still something there for them. As the tears started to dry on her porcelain cheeks, Kushina leaned forward and closed her mouth over Minato's in a desperate and hungry kiss.

Minato's lips parted in their own accord. Two weeks of heartache and celibacy had taken their toll on him and his body seemed to react faster than his mind. Before he knew it, his tongue was battling Kushina's and her hands were unfastening his pants. Neither of them realized how they managed to get rid of all their clothing without breaking or tearing anything.

His mind started to cooperate when he had straddled Kushina against the couch and was pushing his way inside her body. He had always been a gentle lover, tending to her needs and putting her pleasure above his, but at that moment, every fiber of his being was screaming for release. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he cared only for his satisfaction.

Kushina cherished that new, unexpected, animalistic side of Minato. She enjoyed their tender lovemaking of course, but there was something else about being ravished so hard and fast. The man groaning above her was definitely full of surprises. He pushed in, only to pull out before she could relish the feeling of his shaft inside her, and then he repeated the pattern.

It was all over before they had time to think back and stop themselves. Minato remained inside her, unmoving and panting heavily as he braced himself on his elbows so that he wouldn't crash her with his weight. Kushina allowed herself to take in his post-coital expression. His face looked calm, but his brow was slightly ceased, as if something was troubling him. Of course, he would have felt odd about fucking her when their relationship was still uncertain.

Well, damn him and his self-righteousness.

They lay there, in the post-coital silence, with their breaths mingling together in the dim lighting of the room. Minato's breathing had slowed down way before hers, but he didn't make any move to remove himself. Although he despised himself for jumping Kushina all of a sudden, he would be lying if he said that he didn't need it. It was a strange thing, really. He had never been addicted to sex or relying on it when in a relationship, but this woman was making other sides of himself—ones that he wasn't even aware that existed—surface. She was changing him, and he couldn't quite place whether it was for better or worse.

"I was born on July 10th, in Boston," Kushina spoke out of the blue, startling him, but he didn't move an inch. "I have an older sister, Kaori. She is a doctor and she lives in Washington with her fiancé. My family originates from an old aristocratic family of Japan, who moved to America ages ago. We are closely associated with the Yamanaka and Uchiha clans. I grew up with Mikoto and Fugaku and Inoichi; I've known them since I can remember myself."

Minato raised an eyebrow at the sudden confession, but kept silent. He absently realized that he had finally succeeded—she was opening up to him.

"My family is comprised of doctors of any kind; surgeons, dentists, veterinarians, nurses. It is a family tradition that has been passed on for generations through the years, and the genes that are passed down to us by our parents are carrying that passion for medicine as well. No one in the history of our clan has ever reclined from that choice of career, besides me."

Kushina halted and shut her eyes. She felt Minato reach down and plant a kiss on each of her tear-stained cheeks, and her lips tugged slightly upwards. "Go on," he whispered against her soft skin, running his arms down her sides and finally resting them around her waist. Abruptly, she was pulled into a sitting position chest-to-chest with Minato, and her chin was resting on his shoulder.

"Go on," he repeated.

Kushina wrapped her arms around his torso. "I was four when I first expressed my artistic talent. My father was proud at first, gloating over how gifted his daughter was, so he signed me up for painting classes. I was so excited when he told me, and I vowed to prove myself worthy of the chance I was given."

"As years passed, I turned to art more and more. I took photos, I played the piano, but I mainly painted. I used to have a shitload of portraits and paintings and all kinds of stuff you can imagine. When I entered high school, they realized that I wasn't gonna follow in their footsteps.

That was the first time we came to a rupture. My father told me that I would become a doctor whether I wanted to or not, so I should give up arts and all that crap before it was too late to get out." A bitter chuckle escaped her lips. "_Get out_, you hear? Like I was getting into something that would lead me to my doom."

"What did you do?" Minato prompted, giving her incentive to go on. He felt proud of himself for finally making her come out of her shell, but he had a feeling that she needed to be constantly reminded that he _wanted_ this — wanted to know about her life before him.

"I rebelled," Kushina murmured against his shoulder, making it sound almost a natural thing to do. "I titled my head high and told him that I wasn't gonna give up everything I loved to condemn myself to a life of misery."

"Did he buy it?"

"Psh, _no_," she said with a snort. "If they were that easy, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"Then, what happened?" he asked, rubbing smooth circles on her back. It seemed surreal that they were sitting on his couch in a mess of tangled bodies, and Kushina was narrating her life story. In his mind, this wasn't exactly how he'd expected this meeting to go.

"I ran away." She laughed softly at the memory. She really had been a basketcase back in her teens. "I sneaked out in the middle of the night, while they were asleep, and sought refuge at Inoichi's. I knew Mikoto was out of the question — Uchihas are as much of a pain as my own folks. But Inoichi would never give me in, 'cause Yamanakas are cool like that." Kushina halted when her words sunk in. She grimaced. _Did I just praise Inoichi? _"Anyway, I was a goner for, like, two days, before they went nuts and I made an appearance. My mom was freaked out — said that if I ever pulled something like that again, she'd strap me to the bed. But, in the end, it was worth it. I got it my way."

Minato smiled despite himself. He hadn't doubted it for a second. "How'd you do it?"

He felt her shrug. "I sort of blackmailed them, I guess. Told them that if I didn't get to study art, I'd ran away for good. Guess even the most emotionally retarded people can be moved by their feelings. So, my father didn't mention med school again and, when I graduated, he enrolled me into _Black & White_."

A long sigh escaped her lips and she pulled back enough to face him. "And that's the story of Kushina Uzumaki." Her hands tentatively reached up to cup his cheeks and Minato smiled. "Are we okay?"

The slowly materializing grin on Minato's thin lips was answer enough. "I think we will be, Kushina."

And they both felt obliged to seal that deal as well.

* * *

><p>Later that night, when the pair was lying at Minato's bed, entangled in the soft sheets and wrapped around each other, Kushina felt finally at peace. In the two weeks of separation from her blond manchild, she had come to realize quite a few things; about herself and their relationship as well.<p>

First of all, Minato was much more of an idiot than what she thought at first. It took a great deal of courage to face Kushina's parents and not be affected by them, but a great deal more to stand back and actually _wait_ for her to fight her demons and find her way back to him. Kushina was not an easy person to get along with, by any chance. That was one of her personality traits that she'd let show from the very first time they'd met. Plus, she wasn't the kindest or subtlest person alive. But Minato—he overcame those obstacles as if they didn't even exist, and still took her back after all she'd put him through.

She allowed herself to quietly admit that he was, indeed, a special person. The kinds of which you may search for an entire lifetime, and still not manage to find them. It made her feel nice, somewhere deep inside her chest, that she'd found him without even remotely trying.

Secondly, Kushina had decided that desperate times called for desperate measures; and weren't these some desperate times. Her separation from Minato had given her time to think about all the occasions where her parents had been almost manhandling her, pointing her to the direction they thought was the right one. She was a rebel by nature, and she'd come to realize that rebellions always have high prices to pay. Hers would be her dependence on them. Kushina may have liked to gloat about being an independent woman who didn't give a fuck about others, but, truth was, she was a far cry from being wholly independent. Thus, independence had to be her main priority, and the means to it were going to be a pain in the ass. It was going to be a long road, but she was determined to get to it, sooner or later.

And, last but not least, Kushina Uzumaki had finally come to terms with the fact that she was completely, irrevocably and inadvertently in _love_ with Minato Namikaze, the upcoming musician of the decade. It was a shocking revelation for the young woman, one that she was not prepared to entrust to anyone yet, but it still was there. And, for some weird reason, it calmed her. Minato was a nice kid—that's what he was, no point in denying it—and she had fallen for him, _hard._ Like she had never fallen for anyone before in her life. She could not ask for a better person to share her time with, and it was heartwarming to know that Minato felt the same way towards her. Though it would take a long time for her to actually mouth those three little words to the childish musician, Kushina was fairly certain that Minato had a clue already.

And so, the pair stood in their coil for a long spell, listening to the rush of the rain hitting the window panes fiercely. Together they relished what they had come so close to losing and quietly vowed to never let it happen again.

It was a promise that neither of them proved to be able to keep but, for the moment, all they could do was hope and believe in the power of their dreams.


End file.
